"Ainsley, my dear Ainsley…" Her mother did not waste any time heading to embrace her lost daughter. "Do you have any idea how worried I've been for these past two years? I never thought you would go out of your way as to abandon your home at the tender age of seven…" At this point, Ainsley's feet were dangling in the air. "Please, don't ever do that again!" Priscilla Harris had a reputation for shedding tears, and it was proven even more so as she held her daughter tightly. 'No promises…'Ainsley had wanted to say so badly at the time, but she knew better than to add insult to injury.

"Now don't hog our child Priscilla!" The man behind her had said. "I'm sorry Nathaniel; it's just that…I'm so happy…" It was now the father's turn to carry Ainsley. The recent emotional trauma made her less resilient to being treated like a child. She had even let herself fall asleep as the carriage took her to her original home, in her mother's lap. Little did she know that her father had stayed behind to discuss the chain of events which took place. "Some thief named Oliver dared to stab my child?"

"Please, sir, calm down. The buildings here ain't protected at this hour, and I don't want anyone to know I'm here" The 'watchman' had said trying to shush the young tycoon. "Don't tell me you're afraid of an 'Oliver' coming after you!"

"Contrary, I would love if one came, I would bash him down with joy"

"That is quite the absurd humor you have there, sir…" Nathaniel backed away a few steps. "Aw, don't be that way! You can call me Heinrick! A watchman really isn't that much of a respected position…unless you're a convict."

"I'll respect you…" Nathaniel got closer to Heinrick, placing something in his hands. "After all…you watching over the filth that tried to kill my precious daughter are you not? I would hope that this is good enough thanks?"

"'Thanks'? Err…well, good night, we both better get going!" Heinrick waved before leaving the room. He heard a quiet 'I'll see you' from Nathaniel. He headed towards Dylan's place for a drink, jubilant since Oliver's arrest.Whatwas that thing Nat gaveme? He pulled out the small, yet bursting pouch. When the small bag gave way, a few coins fell out, and were immediately picked up by Heinrick.This…cash! My God, I've never seen so much at once! Hell, I can stop begging with this amount!Time to head to Dylan'splaceand celebrate!

Back at the 'prison', which wasn't very well organized, Nathaniel faced Oliver with a vacant facial expression. Oliver, the boy indicted of double murder, returned his unsure, yet intimidating glance. James broke this tension by flying into Oliver's cell, chirping. "Anyway…" Nathaniel began to speak. "I came here for two reasons: to help you and to set you straight" Oliver held back his laugh. Help? How could the man that is Ainsley's father want to help me?He though while recalling the earlier conversation he eavesdropped.

"My instincts tell me that you haven't done anything to be here." The man said turning away. "I guess you instantly became hated once you and blood were seen in the same place though"

"At least one person believes me…" Oliver had accidently said aloud, causing Nathaniel to look at him again. "Just those few words cheered you up?" He chuckled. "Wait until you here the rest!"

Nathaniel crouched down so he could see the child eye to eye. "Just by looking at you during the time of the trial, I could tell that you're only real guilt was being accused. That forlorn and pale look made it far too obvious that you were traumatized by the deaths of those two… There's no way you could have killed them." He paused, noticing developing tears, and then quickly changed the subject. "That yelling you more than likely heard from me was just an act. My own reputation may have been ruined if I showed pity towards you. Contrary to what I said, I'm willing to help you clear your name" Oliver had perked up while wiping his tears away. "Do you really mean it?"

"Of course I do, a man always keeps his word!" Both of them smiled. "There is one catch: I can't be caught helping you, for multiple reasons."

"That's understandable…how exactly can you prove me innocent though?"

"You're contributing to this too"

"How? I'm locked up in a cell, in a prison, controlled by a town of people who now fear and despise me!"

"Jeez, I don't mean that much…" Nathaniel let out a sigh, before asking: "Can you explain what happened as detailed as you possibly can?"

"Well…" Oliver began. "I'm not quite sure where to start…"

"If you're not sure, then start at the beginning…"

"Okay… It all began when…"

Nathaniel stood up once Oliver was finished. "I asked for you to tell me what happened, not for your life story"

"I'm sorry…"

"No, it's okay; you're a pretty good storyteller for someone your age. Plus, I have a good idea on what may have happened, along with why Ainsley ran away from her mother and me. I can't do anything significant at the moment, but if I use my connections correctly…"

"Then what?" Oliver asked eagerly for the first time in what seemed like forever. "Then… I could reopen this case, and prove your innocence. That way you can live on your life, or 'start over', if you must. Anyway, I must head home, or my wife will be worried…" Oliver watched Nathaniel walk to the end of the hallway. "Oh…wait!"

"Yes?" Nathaniel turned around. "Why do you want to help me? What benefit would it do you?" Oliver asked Nathaniel, his depressing nature had fully resurfaced. "Is that not what a fellow human being would do? I doubt I would live with myself, knowing that an innocent, young child is in jail as I enjoy that fancy lifestyle everyone seems to envy." Really?Oliver thought.I figured there would be a more selfish motive behind this rich person's deeds. That is what they tend to do…however, I am in no position to refuse this offer. "A fellow human being, eh?" Oliver began to lie down to sleep. "Don't make me laugh now…those kinds of beings are exactly why I'm in here."

The young man looked at him through light-brown eyes, which Ainsley must have inherited, with pity. "Don't think of it that way kid…there is still hope in mankind…have a good night's rest"

"On a cold, hard…floor…" Oliver replied, drifting off into sleep. Just how much have they gone through these two years? This boy's mind seems to be five times more poisoned compared to me when I was his age…Ainsley's seemingly pure father had closed the door, leaving the building in its gloomy silence.