Randall squinted, wincing at the light after being stuck in the Hole for at about two weeks. He had to hold up a hand to help block off the light in order to see the figure standing at the doorway.

"I know I said several months," Dr. Kovac heavily began, "but it feels as though I was wrong to put you in here. I apologize."

He stared at the doctor, trying to absorb the words that were said to him. However, there was only one thing on his mind. "What happened to S– uh, five, er, sev–" His voice was raspy. Tired as he tried to remember his friend's number.

"#5752?"

"Yes."

Dr. Kovac sighed. "Experiment #5752 was far too dangerous. She had killed several of her opponents. Each more and more aggressive. When an Experiment cannot be defeated after their ninth kill, we put them down for our own protection. We call it Rage. Nothing can ever stop them. Even their stronger opponents. They are too dangerous."

"So if they get killed…they pass the test?"

"That's a…crude way of looking at it."

He looked away, grumbling, "So she was going to die either way. Get killed by another test subject or by the doctors. Perfect." He looked back at the doctor the best he could with the horrid light. "She said she was strong."

"She was. Too strong."

"Was she created here?"

"That's classified."

"She's dead." .

The doctor didn't reply.

"You said several months. How long was I down here for?"

"Twelve days."

"What made you think you were wrong to put me in here?"

Dr. Kovac sighed, lowering his head with his hands behind his back. "I regretted my hasty decision. I didn't want to break you and not to the point of insanity. The Hole has that effect on some." He looked back at him. "I was conflicted if I should keep to my word or pull you out sooner. Well," he sighed again, "here we are."

Randall lamely smirked. "You actually apologized for that, huh? Never would've seen that coming. Ever. Are you going to take my heart now?"

"No," the doctor softly murmured. "Not now. You will return to your old cell. Recuperate."

"Old cell, huh? Just like that? What's the catch, Doc?"

"There is no catch. I made a rash decision."

"Huh-uh. Sure ya did." He laid back down on the cold concrete with his back to the light.

"#314. I assure you–"

"You can't. You will never assure me." He closed his eyes. He didn't even noticed that he was shot with a dart.

Waking up in a dimly lit cell had Randall confused. He was back in to his old cell and even in the dim light, he noticed his scales were a pale purple. He spent too long in the dark. Far too long. It didn't feel real that he was back in his old cell, but was relieved to be back. Never would he had thought that he would actually miss the room that he had despised for so long. It also didn't feel real that the good doctor apologized for throwing him in the Hole. In a strange way, he didn't want the doctor to apologize because if he hadn't thrown him in the Hole, he would never had met Snow. As brief as their time together was, he enjoyed it. As eerie and unsettling as she sounded, she was his friend. His only friend. Thinking about her brought tears to his eyes, but he didn't have the energy to cry anymore. He just felt relief.

It took time to readjust to his old schedule along with spending thirty minutes daily in a sunlight simulator to get his healthy pigment back. He had been in the sunlight simulation before to give him natural Vitamin D, so it wasn't anything horrific. He continued to have daily appointments with the doctor, who seemed almost kinder than before. Apologetic still. He kept checking Randall's shaken mental state as if understanding that he was fragile.

Randall didn't understand it himself. He had an anger inside, but the anger had seemed to dissipate. He felt oddly open to speak to the doctor. It had been so long since he had seen or heard from another being that he was even practically happy to see the doctor. He knew he should be stubborn and take whatever the doctor throws at him, but he had his hobbies back. He was in light again. He felt too tired and relieved to lash out and he hated it. He hated that he and the doctor began to open up about personal hobbies. They even played Chess together!

Roughly every other night Randall would fall asleep to the inhumane screams of the tortured and enraged Experiments. Every time he heard such cries, he immediately thought about Snow's murder. He'd stare in the darkness of his cell, thinking about his friend. Hating that he was starting to give in to the good doctor. She was right. Kovac was nice if he didn't fight back. He needed his anger back, but it wasn't there. Frustrated, he thought about home. Thought about his hatred for Sully and Wizowski, but all he would think about is the evil he had done. He deserved to be banished. It felt like Randall Boggs was dead and he was just a shell. #314, the appeasing test subject. He finally fell asleep.

The fifth morning was the same new routine with breakfast, followed by an hour of hobbies, and the last session of the sunlight simulator since he was back to a healthy shade of purple. When noon came by for the appointment, the guard was not at the doctor's side.

"I do not think I will be needing him today," Dr. Kovac explained, taking a seat in his regular folded chair.

"Why's that?"

"I trust you."

Randall arched a brow. "You do?"

Dr. Kovac curtly nodded. "I do." He smiled. "I want you to trust me. There will no longer be painful tests and I see the sunlight simulator as helped with your pigmentation."

"It has. Thank you." He barely managed to smile.

"Now, are you willing to tell me how you ended up in that trailer?"

Randall frowned. "I, uh…no…not yet. I'm sorry."

Dr. Kovac nodded. "I understand." He smiled. "Hopefully soon."

"Uh, yeah." He uneasily smirked. "Hopefully…."

He knew if he talked, he would never hurt again. He knew if he talked, he would endanger his old home. Why did he feel so broken? Why was he allowing himself to get close?

"Is everything alright?" The doctor's voice broke his thoughts.

"Yeah. Fine," he lied.

Hey, uh, Randy, a familiar voice whispered in his mind. I know you got that anger in you, buddy, and now would be a really good time to USE IT!

I know you and I don't see eye to eye, another aggravatingly familiar voice began, but you're Randall Boggs! The second best scarer we had! Do what you do best and scare him!

Randall blinked with an epiphany. "Sullivan, you…." His whisper faded.

"Sullivan? Who's Sullivan?" Dr. Kovac quickly questioned, eyes lighting up like he had a treasure right before him.

"Someone who I despise." A twisted grin contorted Randall's face as his fronds lowered. The grin turned to a snarl. "And I'm gonna do what I do best!" He turned invisible just as the door slid open to an armed guard at the ready. He quickly reappeared beside the doctor, making the human jump to his feet. Randall laughed. "I'm gonna be the thorn in your side, Doc! I'm gonna be the best pain in the neck you'd ever have! I will never tell you a thing! You didn't break me! You will never break me!" He laughed manically until the doctor and the guard hurried out of the cell. Once the door closed behind them, Randall had a smug smile on his face. "To think I had you two morons remind me who I am. If I ever get out of here, I know who to thank." He chuckled to himself with a set of hands behind his back.

It was good be back.