A/N:

So 3rd person wasn't too good for me, it made me feel too detached from the characters. Sorry for the delay, this was a very hard chapter to write and I'm not sure I like how it turned out, it was really hard writing a situation like this for such vibrant characters so I'm sorry if this isn't that good.

A big thank you to 'frumouttamimind' who gave me a lot to think about on this chapter and really gave me such great writing pointers. Thank you!

*Yakko's POV* (sorry if he's a little OOC, but this is a stressful situationand he's not used to things like this)

"You're looking a little flat there, sis."

You know, bondage was never really for me. Goodnight everybody! Seriously, is this what I was doing? My little-sis is on a scrap of paper that even Fox-network wouldn't write a pitch idea on and dangling over a flame and I was making jokes. Well that else could I do? Bitterness wasn't something I was used to, but I felt it as I thought this: What else was I good for apart from jokes? Had it really come to this? I struggled pointlessly against the metal pincers alongside Wakko who had reduced to straining his neck to either try and gnaw his arm off or bite through the restraints. It didn't matter, from the way his arms were pulled backwards slightly, he couldn't reach either.

Come on, kiddo. You've survived us for so long, not to mention beaten the ink right out of Mack; you can fight this too right? Is this what failing is? Gotta say, I'm not a fan. Ow… yep that was my ego. Now I know I'm not a psychic, obviously otherwise I would have changed my plans for the day… But back when I made my promise that I'd keep her sibs safe, and then told Slugger and Red that I'd bring their sis home… I'd told him to trust me and that he wouldn't live to regret it, looks like he will; and I'm being forced to live long enough to regret it too. I'd pulled some big stunts, we all had…. But I'd never lied or broken a promise. That was kind of my thing; I spoke the absolute truth and chose specific words that usually ended up in some comedy, but it had been what was asked for. It was more ironic than the lack of irony in that song 'Ironic'! Come on, kiddo, you can pull through this! I stared at her, desperately. Just get up. Look up. Just do something. I don't like this kiddo, just do something… please…

"There we go, dear, secrets won't be able to hurt you when I'm done."

R.J took a sadistic pleasure in the reactions that were taking place around him. The empty and lifeless gaze of the girl; the pained grimace of Scratchy; Nurse flushed in helpless anger; and more importantly to him, us squirming like live bait on a hook. He had what he wanted, the mother load, not to toot our horn or anything. Oh I didn't want to watch this. R.J held the flame closer to Dot. Her half-stick form cowered in the top corner of the page as the paper started to char. Wakko yelled out in horror and I'm pretty sure someone screamed. I hoped it hadn't come from me. Not my sis… not my bro…

There was a sudden crash and everyone found themselves shielding their eyes as glass shattered around them. The small box window was smashed open and a pair of claws accompanied by a hiss shot like a bullet into the room, aimed right for R.J's face. In an attempt to peel the attacker from him, the lighter and paper slipped from his grasp. The flame died down without its master to hold it while Dot drifted downwards uneasily. A small white figure jumped from the window and grabbed it, using the curved sheet like a hang-glide to sail down to the floor next to his big-head accomplice.

"Egad, Brain , you should try that!" Pinky grinned, passing the page along, he tilted his head in thought as he took in the doodle, "You know there's something different about this one. Zort!"

"Remind me to hurt you later, Pinky…"

R.J grabbed a handful of the felines fur but that only made her sink her claws in deeper. Rita spat and hissed, jade eyes burning. Hey, this firey attitude among the ladies must be contagious; anyone care to pass it on to kiddo? Grunting in pain, he forcefully tore her away and threw her aside. That was going to smart in the morning! She swayed in a daze from the impact against the wall but soon recovered just as another figure hoisted herself through the tiny window.

"Purrrr-fect timing." I stated with a half smile.

Rita bowed her head, "Never underestimate the little guys."

"Don't rush yourself, Slappy, we've got plenty of time." Wakko struggled more violently. Easy boy, if your arms really do rip where would we be?

"Give it a rest, I'm old, you're lucky I can even fit through here."

She dropped to the ground just as Rita made another pounce at the CEO who managed to lock her with his arm. Didn't stop her from biting and clawing anyway. I knew it was a cheap suit, it tore more frequently than the Beetles concerts. Yikes remind me never to get on her bad side, she was vicious, not to mention brought out the worst puns… Slappy swung her umbrella over his head, making him sway. Nurse dragged Scratchy across the room to safety as the Brainiac started analyzing the control panel. Alright, we were getting out of here! Slappy delivered another swing of her umbrella that made him crumple to the floor. She nudged the CEO with her foot and shook her head with a crocked smile.

"Now I know this ain't my usual style and it would be far more entertaining to stick some dynamite in there or drop an anvil on him; this human has such low tolerance…"

"We'll let it slip this time if you get us down now." I urged.

Keep it together, Yakko, you're in bigger company now, where's you're cool? Out cold with the lunatic apparently. Nurse tampered with the machine causing Wakko and I to drop to the floor. Instantly I helped him to his feet and he gave me a lopsided smile to let me know he was okay. Geez, something was hurting! The area around our wrists and ankles where the restraints had been was damp with warm, dark fluid. It's a good thing toons heal quickly, much longer and our ink would be cooked. In seconds the flow stopped and we brushed off the dry ink.

"Thanks for the distraction, boy, it was a heck of a lot easier getting in." Rita purred.

Oh no they did not…. "Ex-squeeze me?"

"Oh come on Pup, you seriously thought that I meant for you to stay put? I've been in the business too long, I knew you'd scarper. It's called a 'hero complex' and you three got it bad." Slappy arched an eyebrow, "Now we can all get this mess cleaned up before anymore trouble gets thrown around."

"But… I don't get it?" Wakko muttered.

Wow, bitterness, failure and anger all in one hour, I am on a roll, "It means they used us for a distraction so that they could get in scott-free."

"I don't like your tone, kid."

"I don't like your methods." I shot back, holding up the scrap of paper for her to see, Dot looked nervously between the two of us, "I really don't like them."

Slappy held her sour expression as she studied my sis. Finally she turned away and started to examine kiddo instead. Good luck with that one. This wasn't me. I don't get angry, I get smart. I don't argue, I joke. Come on let's think of a good one to get you back on track! Uuuuuuhhhh-Great timing Slappy; you may have had an hour-glass figure once but your time is up! Really? That didn't even have anything to do with this situation? If anything our time was up! Well, when in doubt, move out. Luckily Rita beat me to it with something that I really needed to hear.

"We're sorry, we really are. But things could have been worse." Rita said softly, trying to get some reaction out of Talia by nudging her.

Good luck fishing in that pond, kitty. But, yeah it could have been worse… but it could have been a heck of a lot better. Did I like that they'd used us as a distraction? No. Was I pleased that because they'd used reverse p-psychology on us? Heck no. Would I let it go for now because frankly the bitterness was not sitting well with me? Yeah why not? It wasn't going to get us anywhere and from where I was standing, they could have not shown up. Then we'd all be more flamed than bad fanfiction… Yeah I get the reference, just go with it for now.

"Let's just get this thing over with." I muttered, clearing my throat, "Pfeiffer's still annoyed from the last time I was late for a date."

*Scratchansniff's POV*

This pain was near unbearable in my left side. When the CEO shoved me I must had dislocated something hitting the floor. At least I hoped it was just dislocated. Now there he lay unconscious on the floor just feet away from me. I'd never liked being too close to that squirrel toon. Our psychology sessions had always been… dynamic to say the least. I have to say that if I'd known that she could handle him that easily I would have looked deliberately brought her in long ago without the sedatives.

Everything had happened so fast. But what had been the most interesting was the change in the Warner Brothers. Back when we used to have our weekly sessions it had literally made me rip my hair out from their jokes and gags and out of control zaniness. And yet this was a completely different light. They had fought to save their sister, eyes burning in anger and even Yakko who I'd never seen without a sly grin, had looked scared. My psychologist mind was itching to get into further detail of this, but that would have to wait. I would be having my hands full trying to return Talia to her original state. One thing was for sure though, I would not look at the toons in the same way again.

"Anyone got anything to tie him up with before he wakes up?" Slappy asked, pointing at Wakko, "Where's that bag thing of yours?"

He nodded and raised a hand to his head to search under his cap, but then let it fall solemnly, "It got thrown in there." He glared at the Animator.

"Oh! I found it! Poit! What do I win?" Pinky announced, indicating to Dot's paper scrap.

Dot waved enthusiastically and picked up a rough sketch of a sack. She reached into it and pulled out vast amounts of rope. Rita arched an eyebrow, "Well that's useful."

"Hey, careful with that!" Wakko ordered at his scribble sister who simply poked her tongue out him.

"Easy Wakko, we'll get it back, right sis?" Yakko asked, forcing a confident smile at the paper, "Scratchy? Care to take over?"

I had to have Nurse help me limp across the room towards the Animator while the brothers hatefully dragged the CEO across the room and out of the way so that he was far from the door and window. With nothing to restrain him, it was up to luck if he stayed unconscious or not. And from the luck we'd had so far, it could go either way. We explained Talia's state of mind to the newcomers as best as we could, but it was still half a mystery to us. The best thing that we could do now was get Dot back through the Animator and pray that it solved one of out problems.

"Why not toss that yutz in while we're at it?" Rita hissed.

"Zat is vat he vants." I explained though gritted teeth from the pain, "Zer Animator vill give him zer toon abilities he vants."

"He experimented on his own kind too?" Brain asked, "That's a different area of despicable altogether."

"I'm going to call the police." Nurse announced suddenly, "That's what we should have done long ago."

Slappy flashed her a skeptical look, "Come on Blondie, what kind of story you gonna string up that will make them believe any of this?"

"I'm stupid, Ms. Squirrel. I'm aware that exposing you is not the answer and that the authorities won't believe me. However that man is guilty of kidnap, mental and physical abuse as well as illegally spending company funds." She glanced at the younger members of the company, "Among other things best not mentioned at present."

She was right, there was a lot more than just these experiments to blacken his name. But it didn't dare thinking about right now. Nurse left the room and shut the door behind her. It was making me nervous having R.J so close. He may be out cold and heavily surrounded, but there was an evil in this man that scared me. I could analyze my own fear, of course I could, and justify it too; but controlling it was more difficult. Slappy was shaking Talia's shoulder and muttering something to her that I couldn't make out. She didn't look scared or worried, just a little more irritable than usual. I'd gotten word about what Talia did for Skippy. From what I'd learnt over the years, Slappy hated being in debt to anyone. It made sense that she would want to help, to settle a debt. Or… or maybe there was something else that I was missing?

The paper that Dot had been captured into had found its way to Talia who stared blankly at it. She kept muttering 'secrets' over and over. I panicked a little as it looked for a moment as if she was going to rip it. However it turned out that she was simply picking away the charred corner, eliminating all traces that the flame had ever been there, then just rested it in her palm. That intrigued me. R.J had forced it into her mind that these 'secrets' would hurt her and that they should be exterminated; and yet she was showing kindness, or perseverance at the most. It had been the same theory with the boy. Although memories and beliefs have been tampered with, instincts remain, no matter how weak. I began my painfully slow work on readjusting the machine back to its original settings. Both painful from the complications of it and also from my own pain that was starting to throb.

"So what happens when we get Dot back?" Wakko asked.

"We run." Yakko answered, "She's going to be miffed."

"And the kid?" Brain asked, half buried into the open controls.

"I vill begin vork on her vonce vee are out of here."

"And what about -" Slappy started, about to thumb over her shoulder at R.J, but she stopped and froze, eyes turning icy, "Oh shoot me…"

*Talia's POV*

Poor little secrets. Scribble secret looked so lost. Maybe she was sad she couldn't hurt me like the man said they would. But she looked sad at me. Did she know me? She looked like she did. It looked better without the ash. Ash meant pain. Pain was coming for us. Pain was always here with the secrets. The boss man told me so. When you're a secret, everything hurts. I'm a secret too. Am I hurting yet? Is that why they kept looking at me? Were they thinking about how to hurt me? Secrets should be forgotten and so should I. But scribble-secret couldn't hurt me now. She just lay in my hand. Maybe we could be forgotten at the same time. Along with the other hurt secret. Kitty-secret. She'd come to close. Had she come to hurt me? The boss man must have thought so. That's why he hit her. He was protecting me. Protecting me from the secrets.

The secrets had hurt the man and they were going to hurt me. Why were they taking their time? But no, the man was smart and knew things. He had woken up and helped me. Quick and quiet. Safe and sound. Safe and sound? Just close you're eyes… You and I'll be safe and sound… Pretty little sing-song. Pretty little secret song. Kitty-secret was a pretty singer. Was she? Secret isn't singing now. Secret is quiet. All secrets are going to be quiet in the end, he says. Quiet and forgotten. Just like I'll be.

"Oh shoot me…"

Secrets seen us. The man was awake again. Secrets can't stop him. He's smart and knew how to keep quiet. They didn't see him moving. They didn't see him pull me up. His hands were rough and they hurt. Why was he hurting me? He didn't hurt me, secrets did. Right? There was a back door. A secret door. That's why no one noticed it. Secrets are forgotten. Before anyone could move, he hoisted me harshly through it and up stairs. Secrets are arguing behind us, following us. This man was helping me, wasn't he, that's what he'd been doing all along right? Saving me from secrets? And the secrets were coming fast.

Bright lights, warm breeze, outside. My legs crumpled under me. Why was he taking me outside? He said that I'd be hurt if I went outside. Why was he trying to hurt me? Secrets hurt me, not him. Was he a secret too? It didn't make any sense. Buildings and sky, we weren't just outside we were on a roof. But the breeze went unnoticed and the view meant nothing. It was real after all. Just more of my secrets. Secrets in my head. He dragged me behind him as the ground kept coming closer. Now I wasn't moving. Why was I so numb? Had secrets done this to me? No, they hadn't touched me. Had he done this to me? At my lack of movement, he growled and something collided with my face. I tumbled and smacked into the wall. It had hurt a little… He was hurting me. He hurt me and the secrets didn't…

The secrets closed the secret door and jumped at the man who was starting to act like the secrets he told me about. It was the first two secrets, the two boys that looked alike. The ones who had wanted to save the girl, the scribble-secret. Why were they nice to me? They wanted to hurt me. But the man had hurt me. My head was burning, it was on fire! Nothing made sense.

My head hurt so much, and it was getting darker. Why couldn't I feel my body? Only my flaming blood scorching in my head. So many thoughts, so many voices, what was real and what was secret? I didn't know anymore! What was this? I pushed myself up to lean back against the wall in time to see him throw the oldest of the secrets away to skid along the floor. He turned to the younger one. I looked away. I didn't want to see this. It was all too much. Too many secrets. Too much… The scribble-secret in my hand looked close to ripping her hair out as she screamed silently at me. I didn't know what she wanted from me. I didn't know anything anymore. It hurt too much. So dark now. Don't hurt anymore… Please… no more secrets…

A/N:

I hope this turned out okay and once again thank you to 'frumouttamimind' for helping me!

Sorry if any of the characters were OOC, I tried my best! So what's next? Will Talia remember? Will R.J be stopped? Will Dot ever be re-animated? And is Rita okay? Until next time!

Can't wait to hear you're thoughts and feelings on this so far, you all are a big motivator and I loves you all so much! XD