Author's Note: the song Everybody Hurts by R.E.M. is going to feature in this chapter in full so I highly recommend listening to it while you read this chapter.

…

Perry went down to the cells again. This time, Maggie the Macaw and Harry the Hyena were on guard, ignoring each other again. They always got on each other's nerves, so Perry often wondered why Major Monogram always put them on guard duty together. They let him through without any problem.

He saw that Georgia and Oliver were both awake. Georgia snarled at him yet again and Oliver let out a snort but Perry ignored both of them and continued on to the cell opposite Portia's old cell, finding her in there. She was sitting with her back against the glass, facing towards her bed.

"Portia?"

"Go away." Portia's voice was hard.

"I don't blame you for trying to escape," Perry tried. "It's what I'd do. And Pansy forgives you too."

"I don't want your forgiveness," spat Portia. "I just want to leave this place."

Perry knelt down on the other side of the glass in front of Portia's back. Getting an idea, he took a deep breath, opened his beak, and sang, "When your day is long and the night, the night is yours alone."

He saw Portia's head turn slightly as he continued, "When you're sure you've had enough…of this life…well hang on."

He continued singing and Portia joined in with the next verse: "Don't let yourself go, because everybody cries. And everybody hurts, sometimes. Sometimes everything is wrong, now it's time to sing along."

Perry allowed Portia to sing: "When your day is night alone," while he sang the backing: "Hold on, hold on."

"If you feel like letting go," she sang.

"Hold on," he echoed.

"If you think you've had too much of this life, well hang on," both of them sang.

Portia turned and faced Perry. She placed her right hand on the glass on her side and Perry placed his own left hand on top of it on his side. "Everybody hurts, take comfort in your friends. Everybody hurts. Don't throw your hand, oh no. Don't throw your hand. If you feel like you're alone, no, no, no, you are not alone."

Perry smiled at Portia, who gave a small but beautiful smile back. "If you're on your own in this life, the days and nights are long. When you think you've had too much of this life, well hang on. Well, everybody hurts sometimes, everybody cries. Everybody hurts sometimes, and everybody hurts sometimes."

As they stopped singing, Portia visibly sighed and got up off the floor. Perry also stood up and watched Portia go to her bed and sit down on the edge.

"You remembered all the words," Portia stated.

"Of course I did," Perry replied. "You're not the only one who sang that song aloud every night in order to keep memories alive."

Portia looked incredibly touched. "You did too?"

Perry smiled and nodded. As Portia smiled back at him, Perry decided to take a risk. "I'm going to take you out."

Portia stared at Perry. "What?"

"I'm going to take you outside and we're going to spend some time together. I know you want to leave but my job won't let you so this is the best I can do."

Tears filled Portia's eyes. "You'd really do that for me?"

"I need you to understand that you can't get away," Perry said seriously. "An electrified fence surrounds the complex and there are guards at every gate so you can't leave, but I can at least take you outside for some fresh air. If you want."

Portia nodded quickly. "Yes, yes please!"

Perry also nodded. "Okay, then. Wait here for a minute."

Perry went over to the control panel by the door and pressed the release button for Portia's cage. He quickly went back to the cell and found Portia standing up with her wrists towards Perry, who gave her a serious look. "I'm going to trust you without handcuffs."

Portia stared at him. "Are you sure you won't regret that?"

"Make sure you don't do anything to make me regret it," Perry said.

Portia nodded slowly. Perry took her hand and led her through the door. Harry's eyes widened in alarm and Maggie opened her beak to say something but Perry gave them a stern look and said, "I've got this under control."

Maggie closed her beak and gave a nod. Harry looked a little less happy but he also nodded.

Perry took Portia up the stairs and towards the first floor. "I thought I could give you a little tour of OWCA before we go outside."

Portia looked a little nervous. "But all these agents know that I'm an enemy."

"They'll see that you're with me," Perry reassured her. "They trust me. I don't mean to boast but I'm OWCA's top agent."

"You don't mean to boast and yet you do anyway," grinned Portia.

Perry rolled his eyes amusedly. "Okay, Mrs Smarty-Pants." He pushed open the door to the office floor. "Welcome to OWCA."

…

*squeals* PORTIA'S NOT TOTALLY EVIL ANYMORE! Well…I:}