A/N: Early update YAY! Some more depressing cuteness for you this chapter. I think that I might introduce some new characters soon, might make for a nice change.

Disclaimer: I do not own this amazing television program. It really is amazing tho, am I right?

Warnings: Cuteness that's overshadowed by mental instability.

Pairings: See in the description, although if you want to think of this all as romance (you're reading too deep too early).

Madoka mostly carried Homura to the staff bathrooms, and ran a bath in the large basin for her. She gave Homura a minute to strip down, and looked over into the bath. It was plenty full enough.

As she walked over to turn off the tap, she noted that the bath was a little too full for Homura to go into alone, at least in the state she was in.

"I guess she'll need a bit of help with that then."

Madoka stripped down herself, and walked over to guide Homura into the bath. She stepped in first, and helped Homura down into the warm water.

"Is it okay Homura-chan? Not too hot is it?"

Homura shook her head, and leaned back against the tiled wall of the bath. Madoka sighed and joined her, being sure to stay close. She didn't want Homura doing anything idiotic brought on by stress.

As they sat there, Madoka silently thanked the director for installing a group bath in the womens room. She had never seen the point of having the thing until now.

"I'll have to drop the old man a line," Madoka thought lazily. She looked to her side, and saw that Homura hadn't moved from her position. She moved over wordlessly, and wrapped her arms arounf her frail body. Homura tensed momentarily, but relaxed easily.

"It's all gone wrong Homura-chan. Everything was supposed to be okay after our talk yesterday. But it's all messed up."

Homura grunted and might've nodded her head slightly.

"But you'll make it through. I'm going to make sure of that." Madoka smiled at the ravenette. "You'll come out the other side with a big smile on your face, and you'll be able to live a normal life again."

"Do you really think so?"

"Of course." Madoka hated lying, but there were times when it was an extremely useful tool. She knew that the odds of Homura making it through this whole ordeal without some lasting scars were quite slim. And then there was her looming court case.

But Madoka shook her head. Homura was really out of it. Surely the courts would make some allowances for that.

"I really hope it works out. Maybe that last bit wasn't a lie after all."

"Can you help me wash myself?"

Madoka glanced quizzically at Homura.

"I feel… so unclean… I just want to scrub away all of the filth."

Madoka nodded, and took a few steps away from Homura. She retrieved a cloth and a cake of soap, and walked back to Homura. Silently and diligently, she proceeded to soap and wash Homura's back and arms. She let Homura have the soap so that she could do her privates herself, and then sat back and watched closely.

"I can't let her out of my sight now. There's no knowing what she'll end up doing."

Madoka sighed. What the hell was going on? It had been years, no, decades since the institute had reported a suicide, and then suddenly there were two within the space of twenty-four hours.

"They'll probably tighten security, and god knows Homura's going to have a bad time."

"I'm done now."

Madoka started. Her mind had wandered off again. She scolded herself, before turning her attention back to Homura. She helped the fragile ravenette out of the bath, and dried her off as best she could. She wrapped one of the spare bathrobes around her, and sat her down beside the bath while she dried herself and got dressed back into her clothes.

"Okay then Homura-chan," she said quietly, "Let's go find you an empty room."

Madoka stood Homura up, and led her out of the bathroom and down the hallway back to the lift. She took them both down one level, and led Homura out into a much more normal looking corridor. The doors to the wards weren't made of iron, and although they were secured with electronic locks, they mad the whole situation seem somehow more normal.

It only took a few minutes to find an empty room. Madoka swiped her ID card, and punched in a few numbers. She led Homura into the ward, and sat her down on the bed.

"Welcome to your new room Homura-chan. I think you'll find it a little more comfortable than the last one." Madoka smiled weakly at her poor attempt at humour. "I know it's been a really bad night Homura-chan, but you really should try and get some sleep."

Homura nodded her head and slid off the bed. But her knees were weak, and she nearly toppled over. Madoka ran to catch her, and pulled her back up. She helped her out of her bathrobe, and laid her down in the bed. She pulled the blankets down, and helped Homura into a comfortable position before tucking her in, before raising the railings on the side of the bed and taking a seat.

"It's awful," Homura said, her voice hoarse.

"Which part," replied Madoka darkly.

"All of it. It's all terrible." She turned her head to face the pinkette. "I think I really am going mad, Madoka."

"It's too soon to start giving up hope Homura-chan."

"What's the point? I'm never getting out of here. May as well start to come to terms with the fact that I'm just a murdering psycho."

"What did I tell you about talking like that," Madoka scolded, "I made a promise to you Homura-chan. I said that I would help you get better. And I will, and I won't stop until you're able to walk away from this and live a normal life."

"Do you really mean that?"

Madoka noded determinidely. "I've never broken a promise before Homura-chan, and I don't intend to start now."

"Good." Homura closed her eyes. "Madoka."

"Yes."

"Can you hold my hand until I fall asleep?"

"I will." Madoka took the hand Homura was offering her in both of hers.

"You're such a kind person," Homura said, "I don't deserve it."

"Don't say that," Madoka replied, smiling in spite of herself, "You deserve it more than any other person in the world."

"Two suicides since the girl was shipped in, I'd hardly call that coincidence."

"Calm down Kirika, we mustn't jump to any conclusions."

"I understand that Oriko, but until then can we say that it's safe to assume the witch latched onto the girl?"

"Well, she was obviously its last host. Plus it would explain how both of the prisoners were able to escape from their cells and shred their strait jackets."

Kirika Kure stretched her arms behind her head, yawning loudly. "How the hell did this whole situation get so complicated? This was supposed to be a normal witch hunt, so how the hell is it evading us so well?"

"I don't know Kirika. My soul gem isn't picking up any magical frequencies, and I've scanned the whole building top to bottom."

Kirika laughed a little. "Wow, this is really getting kinda fucked up." She spun on her heel, and pulled a large, hooked blade from thin air. "What do you think rat?"

A small white creature sat on top of a pile of books in the corner of the room.

"I think that this situation is quite irregular. I've never encountered a witch that was able to conceal its magical energy emissions like this."

"Why are you here Kyubey?"

The creature tilted its head. "But surely you already know, Oriko Mikune."

The pale girl winced. "So you're here for them then?"

"Of course. Two subjects with the amount of potential that these girls possess. I doubt even the energy given off by Walpurginacht could rival the amount we would be able to harvest from their wit-"

Kirika ended the small creature with a flick of her wrist, wiping the light smear of alien blood from her blade.

"I really don't like him."

"And that's one of the reasons why I affectionately refer to you as the muscle, Kirika."

Kirika laughed at this. "What, you think I'm only good for grunt work?"

"Not at all Kirika, but your personality is a bit 'kill first, ask no questions,' especially when it comes to Kyubey I've noticed."

"Why should I feel sympathy for little mister freak? He sure as hell doesn't feel anything for us."

Oriko gave a wry smile at this. "Oh come now Kirika, you must realise that he knew more than he was letting on."

"Obviously. But we can just ask his next body when he comes snooping around again."

"Agreed, I suppose. But until then, we have a new mission."

"And that would be?"

Oriko stood up, and walked over to the door of the director's office.

"We must protect Madoka Kaname and Homura Akemi, at any cost."

A/N: Is it just me, or am I taking it slow for once? Oh my god I am! It's been less than 24 hours, and we're already like 6 chapters in. Oh my god I learned so much from When They Cry (although I came out of that ordeal fucked up in more than one way). R&R as always, and until next time…