"I...I'm thirsty."

"I'll go get you some milk..."

Corrine left Kyle alone in the Bonding Room, where he pondered some more.

(That woman sure has a way of making me feel like shit...it puts my real mom to shame! I don't know why her words are having such an effect on me...I don't know a lot about anything here, actually. A-Am I...being drugged?)

Kyle's heart beat faster, he breathed quicker, and he began to sweat, as he paced around the small room.

(W-What was in that food she gave me? Did she lace it with some sort of chemical? She must've done something like that to bring me here, so I wouldn't put it past her! But it tasted fine...but she might have some sort of tasteless mind-control thing in it!)

He shook his head.

(Really, Kyle? You're sounding really crazy right now! Calm down! You're not being brainwashed or anything! You're just being held against your will in...wherever the hell this is! Just don't give in to her words and you'll be fine!)

Kyle's thinking lasted for longer than he had thought it did, because he wasn't expecting Corrine to open the door so soon.

"Here, sweetie..." She handed her "son" the bottle of milk.

"Thanks..." He stared at the bottle.

"There's no laxative in it this time. Promise!" Corrine smiled.

"Oh...good."

"...how come you aren't drinking, Kyle?"

"I...um..."

In spite of himself, he could not help but ask:

"I...I-I want you to...to feed me." Kyle blushed.

(Dammit! I just told myself I wouldn't...but...)

"Only if you apologize for what you did," Corrine replied.

Kyle gulped, still red-faced. "I...I-I'm...sorry, Corri...Mommy..."

"I forgive you." She smiled again. "Now, come here..."

Corrine sat on the floor, patting the spot between her legs. Kyle followed her lead, sitting in front of her.

"No no, like this..."

Corrine gently turned her "son" around and laid his head in her lap. He stared up at his smiling "Mommy" as she brought the bottle to his lips, and he began to suck on it.

(This's...even better than last time...)

Kyle closed his eyes as he drank from the baby bottle, hands folded on his chest, while Corrine softly hummed a tune for him. Any previous sense of unease and doubt faded from his mind; this moment was all that mattered. And yet, part of him wondered...

(Why...? Why do I keep falling for her tricks? Why must everything about her be so...hypnotic? I don't want to be in this place anymore, but when I'm with her, I don't want to leave...I don't want this pleasant feeling to ever end...is this what I've always wanted? To be babied by some crazy woman who thinks I'm her son?

...I...I suppose it's not the worst thing in the world...but I still want to get out. I have to get out!)

"All gone!" Corrine chimed as she removed the empty bottle from Kyle's lips.

"Mmmmm..." He comfortably sighed, slowly opening his eyes.

"Hmm?!"

"What?" Corrine tilted her head, confused.

"N...Nothing..."

Kyle sat back up, shaking his head.

(I think I saw her last night...! But I still can't quite remember when!)

"Well, now that you're all full, do you want to play a bit with Mommy?"

"Um...sure..." Kyle replied, turning around to face Corrine.

"How about a game of Patty-Cake?" She smiled.

"O-Okay..."

"Do you know how to play?"

"Kinda...refresh my memory."

"Put your hands together like this..." Corrine put her hands together in front of her.

"Okay..." Kyle mimicked her.

"Now go like this..." She slowly brought her right hand toward her "son".

"Like...this...?" He brought his own right hand to meet hers, and felt how soft and tender her palm was.

"There you go!" Corrine cooed. "Now the other one..."

Kyle and Corrine played Patty-Cake with one another, with "mom" reciting the rhyme. They alternated between clapping their right hands together, their left, both hands at once, and back to their right hands; the speed at which they clapped slowly ramped up as they continued.

"...and bake it the oven for Kyle and me!"

"Heh heh...ha ha ha ha!" Kyle couldn't help but giggle, especially from Corrine replacing "baby" with his name in the rhyme.

"I love you so much, sweetie..." She gave him a sweet, gentle smile.

"Ha heh heh...I-I--Ahhh!"

Kyle accidentally clapped with the wrong hand due to the tingly distraction in his chest.

"It's okay Kyle...babies get a little confused sometimes. But you'll get better as you grow up!"

"I-I'm 25!" he complained.

"I know! It's hard to believe you turned two not too long ago!"

"Years, Mom. 25 years."

"Ha ha ha ha!" Corrine laughed, gently rubbing Kyle's left cheek. "You're just so adorable sometimes!"

"Mmmmmmmm..." He blushed from the patronization, yet he did not seem to mind it that much.

"Are you being a Grumpy Gus again?" she teased.

"No..." Kyle crossed his arms and frowned.

"Yes you are!" Corrine tickled his chin with one finger, and he recoiled.

"Stop it." He blushed even harder.

"C'mon, sweetie! I want to see my Kyle smile!"

"I don' wanna." He looked away.

"Come on...pretty please?"

"No."

(Am...am I just playing along with her now? What the hell's gotten into me?!)

"Kyyyyyyle..." Corrine leaned forward to enter Kyle's line of sight.

"Nnnnnnngh..."

"Just a little smile, sweetie! Please?"

"Mmmmmmgh...okay..."

Sighing, Kyle faced his "mom", and slowly smiled. It was not the most confident, secure smile, but it was a smile all the same.

"There's my happy little boy!" Corrine cheerfully spoke as she hugged him.

"Ehhhhh..." His cheeks were bright red as his emotions got to him again.

"I love you, Kyle."

"I-I-I...love y-you too, Mmmmmom..."

This time, Kyle was not teary-eyed, though the desire to stay in this embrace was just as strong as before.

(She gives some of the best hugs I've ever had, I gotta admit...)

"Okay!" Corrine let her "son" go. "I think that's enough bonding for now! I'll let you play a little bit longer before lunch!"

She pecked her son on the nose, and he smiled even wider.

"O-Okay!" Kyle nodded.

Corrine led him out of the Bonding Room and back into the main room. She waved goodbye as she left for the kitchen, and Kyle waved back, still smiling.

(I...I gotta get out before she completely takes over my mind! It...it feels good, but...I-I don't want this!)

Kyle took a deep breath, walking to the center of the room to get a good feel for what he thought was a glorified prison: