Sorry for the late update. Since I posted the last chapter, I was promoted, was in an accident, and got engaged, so life has been a little hectic. Thank you all for your patience and support.

"Get away from me!" Ursi screamed, pushing herself back until her back smacked against the bars. Her eyes were wide with fear, searching around the cage for any sign of a needle or her father but seeing only the familiar area. Her heavy panting slowed into deep, deliberate breaths as she calmed herself down.

"Just another dream…" she told herself once again. Just like any other night, though in reality they were far from dreams. They were her memories.

Ursi placed a hand on her cotton flesh as she took one last deep breath. The breath caught in her throat as she realized that the sun was shining through the sky.

"L-Leo?" She moved her head left and right trying to spot any sign of him, but all she saw was the park, the other cages, and the circus tent. She tried again, louder. "L-Leo!?"

Standing up, Ursi gripped the bars, pressing her face against it. Where was he? He should have been here a while ago, but he was nowhere in sight.

The quiet of the morning did nothing to calm her down. Panic started to form in the pit of her stomach. Did he leave her? Was all of his urging for her to leave just a lie Where was he? "LEO!" she shouted on the top of her lungs, hoping that maybe he would answer her.

Silence was her only reply, and Ursi was frozen in place, staring at the trees, desperately waiting for Leo to appear around it or pop up out of nowhere like he says he does.

"L-Leo...L-Leo…." This time her voice cracked into a sob as she slid down to the floor of the cage, still holding on to the bars. "P-please…" she moaned against the bars. The one time she had the confidence to leave the cage, the one time she had been given hope, and now he was gone.

She started to feel herself crawling deeper into the safety of the cage, like this Leo person was a lie she conjured up to give herself comfort.

Ursi stared down at her arm, the red-string stitches holding it together. Tears were staining her cloth cheeks and arms.

"Why...?" she mumbled into the bars. Her arms slid around her legs, wrapping herself into cocoon for protection.

"Why are you crying?" Ursi popped her head up to look at the voice, but was shocked to see it was a little boy staring at her. There were crowds of people milling about the place. Ursi didn't even know that they had opened the gate.

The boy tried again. "Why are you crying?" Ursi gave no answer but went back to cocooning herself and letting herself cry between her arms and legs.

"Momma, she is no fun…." the boy whined behind Ursi. Then Ursi felt a sharp jab in her back as the boy poked her. Ursi let out a yelp and moved to the middle of the cage, away from the boy, as he laughed with his mother.

Ursi laid on the cold floor and sucked in a deep breath to calm her tears. "Leo…."

"Are you alright?"

"Look at me."

"Ursi turn your head and look at me!"

Ursi opened her eyes and turned to face Leo, who was smiling at her from the other side of the cage. Ursi sat up and look around quickly.

It was still early morning. Still dark out….Was it was just a dream? "Leo?" she whispered in reply. Leo pulled the hat down and chuckled. "You sure do say my name a lot."

Ursi turned her head away, embarrassed. "All right, hold on, okay…." Ursi looked back Leo as he pulled something out from the back of his trench coat.

"Sword!" Ursi wasn't sure she if she screamed or yelped, but Leo still hushed her. "It's actually called a katana," he muttered.

Leo picked up the lock in one hand laid the sword on top of it. "Hold on and I'll have you right out." With one slice, the chain dropped the floor.