“Are you ready?” Asked a voice.

“Yes Sir.” Caleb Responded.

It had been a few months of constant medical care. Doctor Lemon had kept his word though, very few visitors were allowed to see him, and absolutely no Giantesses were allowed entry. Miranda had come by a few times, but she was not very successful in getting him to talk much, other than his normal responses at this point.

He had been in constant medical procedures for the entire time. Unfortunately, his skin was raw for some time and recovery was very long. It had something to do with the modified Stomach acids and how they messed with his body. They made the whole process harder all around. It was obviously harder on him, as they effected his ability to sense pain, that being that it increased it by a very high amount. It made it hard on Doctor Lemon, as anything he did he had to sidestep the side effects of the modified acid to get something done. Eventually, after about 2 months, all the effects were gone and only shadow pain remained but there were still complications.

Complications included things like tissue regeneration. Any area the acid had touched had to be debrided and removed before any work could be done. But too much trauma would make Caleb Flatline. The acids and their adrenaline effects made it impossible to put him under, or have any pain based medication that actually worked. So, in a sense, they had to do all work while he was awake and without pain medication. Finally, certain areas were so far gone, that regeneration was no longer an option.

Regeneration was a treatment plan that involved harvesting the host’s DNA and manipulating it to grow almost anything back. It made organ donation even unnecessary in most cases, as the body could simply grow new and even improved organs. They could grow limbs and even heal brain damage to a certain degree. However, it was very complicated and few things interfered with the process. Unfortunately, this modified acid was one of them.

Essentially, the only things that they allowed to be regrown was his male parts, skin, and some of his internal injuries. However his organs and ribs needed extra attention, and while his penis and balls were returned to him, his ability to have children was not. His body still generated semen and all of his functions still worked, but it was determined that the acid had made it too far and made all his semen sterile and useless other than sexual release, but even that was hampered a bit. His arms, legs, and eyes were a few of the things that needed the most work. His missing leg had gotten enough of the acid in it between the loss of blood and contaminated flesh, that it had to be removed up to his hip. His arms were likewise. The acid had worked and bonded with the cauterized flesh and acted as a strange stimulant, infecting his arms up to a little past the shoulders. His only workable limb was his right leg, and even that had to have his foot removed.

They instead went with prosthetics, but the best ones anywhere. They were fully customizable, artificial, but also utilized the same DNA innovations that Giantesses seemed so proud of in its construction. This prevented rejection scenarios and even let him feel with his new but foreign appendages. Some things were weird though. Such as, he could customize his new appendages, such as putting charger cords on them for devices, or even installing weapons if necessary. Everything that was installed was used by his body. So, when a charger cord was introduced, he could actually feel energy being transferred from the core of his appendage, into the new device. It was experimental tech, but someone was pulling strings to get him the very best and newest available for his recovery. He didn’t know who, and even though he assumed it was Audrey, his emotional mind denied it. No matter what Miranda said, he couldn’t get around it, his feeling of unease around Audrey or Rachel.

Finally, what Dr. Lemon had been inquiring about. His eyes. It had taken some very miracle like surgeries and painful ones until the infected flesh was removed. But they found a way to implant the most advanced artificial eyes ever created. They were able to connect every sensory and nerve that they could with the limitations they were under, and Dr. Lemon was quite proud of what he’d accomplished. Caleb knew enough about the man to understand that he wouldn’t be proud about anything unless he was 200% perfect in it’s execution. So, they were about to take the bandages off and try out his new eyes.

“Ok, here we go…” Doctor Lemon said, removing the bandages from Caleb’s head and eyes. As soon as the bandages were off, Caleb could start seeing. Things were out of focus slightly, but they slowly became more clear as he saw the blonde haired and very smug looking man that he assumed was Doctor Lemon back up to observe him as he adjusted. “Well…? How do you feel?”

Caleb knew he couldn’t, but he found it weird that he couldn’t blink. His eye lids were gone, and he knew that with these new eyes and the complication, he would never be able to use eye lids again, yet his phantom motions were still telling him to blink, so that was a bit strange. He looked around and found he could zoom in and out with incredible detail, much more than he’d ever thought possible. He held his black artificial hand in front of his face, and his eyes immediately auto focused to adjust to the proximity of what he was looking at. He waved his appendage in front of his eyes, verified that there was no lag in vision from what he was doing. On top of all that, he had hubs and observation Ques that came up as he focused on things. For instance, if he focused on the Doctor, Doctor Lemon’s name would pop up to which he could expand and bring up a file on him for viewing.

He also noticed that his other body functions, especially his artificial parts, had links to his vision. When he looked at his leg for example, it showed the charging port he put in, the charge level on it’s energy core, and the artificial muscle fiber structural integrity. Overall, it was amazing and he felt like a kid getting a bran new computer, not being able to wait until he could really try it out. He then looked back at the Doctor, who was semi-patiently awaiting his analysis.

“I can see properly sir, and much more. They seem to be working very efficiently.” He reported as his normal cautions tone came out, trying not to offend the man. To which Doctor Lemon looked at him. Before even his brain was able to process the look he was giving him, the eyes picked up on small micro expressions in his facial muscles and informed him that he was pridefully gawking at his own creations, rather than at Caleb as a person and gave a possible name for this behavior as “Arrogant Ass”. This made Caleb shake his head to get the eyes to focus on something else. He obviously had a lot of customizing to do with them to get them to work right.

“Anything wrong?” Doctor Lemon asked, noticing the behavior.

“No Sir. Just adjusting to the sensors. They pick up everything… including what they identified as partially eaten carrot stuck in your teeth.” Caleb said, deflecting to something he’d seen with the eyes’ zoom function. He wasn’t lying, but he did hold back the part of the eyes categorizing him as an “Arrogant Ass”.

“Very good, now let me go sort that out. You… calibrate your eyes and body as you see fit. However, keep it safe. I will not have anyone messing around with my masterpieces, even you. Understood?” He instructed and asked, looking pompously at Caleb, which the eyes registered, again before he did.

“Yes Sir.” Caleb Responded, looking away at other things in the room.

Even if he wanted to, he couldn’t stop looking at things. He started experimenting as he heard the Doctor leave without another word, but he knew he was very proud of his apparent success. No doubt later he would bring in some other doctors and people to gloat about his achievements, or through the observation room, that would probably be better and more likely, so he could talk about himself at length without ‘disturbing his patient’.

Caleb looked at himself in a mirror, taking a little practice to focus through another object like a mirror to see himself and saw that his eyes were unlike his black arms, leg, and feet. They were white with a black center like anyone else. His eye color was black as well, but as he used his eye, lines turned bluish as they operated, the Cornea circling around the iris as it moved around. He experimented with things, and also noticed that he could interact with electronic devices throughout the room. He turned on and off the TV, did the same with a phone in the room and a tablet, he also was able to access a computer screen near the door and turn up and down the lights in the room. Finally, he found one of the cameras and tried to access it, but was given a big “Not Authorized” warning when he tried. He could definitely work with this.

“Look who’s back in the world of the seeing…!” stated a voice he understood as Miranda’s as she entered the room and sat down where she usually did. She had made very little progress with Caleb, but was able to move closer to him as the months had progressed.

Caleb had been guessing, based on different interactions with her, what she looked like. She was young, he knew that from her voice. Her few physical interactions with him, a hand hold here, an attempted comforting hold there…, all gave him the impression that she was skinnyish… but it was hard to gauge from so few interactions. So, now being able to see her, he was able to put a face with a voice. Similar with Doctor Lemon, her voice matched her presumed look, mostly.

Miranda looked to be of Asian decent, possibly Japanese and was confirmed as his new eyes identified her as 89% Japanese, 10 percent Chinese, and 1% German. He wasn’t sure if the eyes were wrong, or if they could be, but he just went with it for now as it was accurate enough for an initial observation. She was thin, slightly muscular, but not like Rachel had been. She had a bit more fat on her, but not enough to be noticed. More like she worked out, but wasn’t going on drug busts and more sitting at a desk sort of physic… but still cared enough about her health to keep herself in check. Her hair was silky black, long enough to reach the small of her back and her skin was light and presumably unblemished, but his eyes did register make up covering part of her skin, so that could be false as well. Finally, her eyes were black colored as she looked over at him.

“Yes Ma’am…” He said, looking back at her.

“No eye lids I see, is that weird for you as it is for me?” She asked, trying to joke with him.

“As you say Ma’am.” He responded, looking over at her, waiting for a response or new topic. Previously he didn’t have to look, as his ear drums were one of the few things that could be regenerated all the way. He was selectively lucky about that, as he wasn’t sure if he even would want enhanced hearing, not with how he was effected by mere voices.

“Please, how many times to I have to ask you to call me Miranda?” She asked with a smile.

“I’m sorry Miranda, Ma’am.” He responded, looking away as if being rebuked and not wanting to offend by meeting her eyeline.

“I’ve told you before Caleb, you have nothing to apologize for. That would be us, all of us.” She said, slightly emotional in her tone of voice. He looked at her and saw a tear going down her cheek as she said this. He wasn’t sure why though and she wiped it away as soon as she felt it. “I’m very glad that you regained your sight.”

“Yes Ma’am.” Caleb responded, receiving a sign and a sorrowful look down from Miranda.

“Caleb, can I ask you something without you responding formally?” She asked, looking back up again. She looked at him with both caring and motivated eyes. Caleb’s eyes designated her look as being ‘fact searching’.

“Yes Ma’am.” He responded, wanting to know what she wanted.

“Ok, here it goes…” She said, looking away as if trying to figure out how to say what she wanted, then looked back. “Do you hate us?”

“Hate you…???” Caleb asked, not understanding.

“Yes, do you hate us for what we did to you?” She clarified, then went on to clarify her question even further. “I’ve been coming in here for the last few months, trying to get to know you. However I’ve received very little in return. The only time you open up, and feel relaxed is when an audio file of Alison is played. As strange as that is for me to take in, that a cyber terrorist brings you more happiness than we do, I can’t understand if you are distant from us because of your experience, or something else.”

“What did you do to me?” Caleb asked as a follow up question, not understanding. He was not understanding why she asked with a personal stake in it.

“Caleb… I… I was not very… kind, when I found out what you were accused of doing. I… I said some things, and did some things that I will not forgive myself for, much less expect you to. I can’t imagine most of the world that was unified against you thought. Knowing what I thought, said, and did… I can believe that we all have very much to account for. So, yes, back to my original question… Do you hate us?” She divulged and asked again.

“What did you do?” Caleb asked, as if gaining information for an informed decision.

“I…” She started, then closed her eyes then looked down, ringing her hands. “After I made very obvious my negative feelings of you, at the time, I… I helped design the effects of the drug that altered Rachel’s stomach acids. Those acids were used on you when you were eaten by her, and because of that, the regeneration medical technology was unable to save vast amounts of your body. I didn’t make it, but I did give the suggestion to add adrenaline to the mix to keep you awake and feeling the effects you were under.”

“So, you helped…?” Caleb asked, understanding her personal stake in his suffering now. He never understood why she cried every time she was in there with him. At first he thought she was just very emotional, a way for the giantesses to control his responses. But no, she was actually trying to make right her own involvement, and it got to her, every time.

“Yes, I did.” She verified, still not looking at him and ringing her hands so much that her knuckles were turning white.

“No, I do not hate.” Caleb responded. His response got her to freeze and her eyes to bolt up to meet his gaze.

“What…?” She asked, not understanding.

“I don’t hate anyone, and I don’t hate you.” He clarified, looked to make sure she understood. When he saw recognition in her eyes he looked away. He wasn’t sure how unnerving his eyes were, but he had to assume that the whole not blinking thing was just a little bit unsettling, not to mention the almost machine line focusing his eyes now did when he looked at people.

“Why? I don’t understand. Are you forgiving us or something?” She asked, not grasping what he was saying.

“Yes.” He responded, the one word answer hitting her like a bullet. Now she had more questions and not enough sense to know which one to ask first.

“Wha… what? I… Why would you do that? I expected for you to eventually get to the point of tolerating us, but forgiving us? I don’t understand!” She exclaimed, but then saw him flinch at her tone in fear. She had been able to guess certain emotions from him, and fear was one she was most used to seeing.

Anytime women, giantesses, Audrey, or especially Rachel said or did anything, he was effected by one base emotion, fear. Even audio recordings, as they had tried to get Caleb to listen to a recording of Audrey, but he went as far as trying to stand up straight, as was his habit to do so when being addressed by her or Rachel. Not to mention, during that one instance, Caleb’s vitals were going crazy and his brain scan revealed that he was in a heightened sense of fear and anxiety, as if waiting for something catastrophic to happen. When he heard Rachel’s voice, he had actually gotten so worked up that he peed his pants, stood at attention while waiting for an order, and he stayed that way as he fell to the ground. He still had a generous amount of physical therapy to do in order to get used to his new enhanced body, but those two were a quick way to invoke indescribable fear and even phantom pain in areas that he didn’t even have anymore. Women in general could get him to be on edge, but Miranda had made some progress. Still, she didn’t understand why he was forgiving them if he had such strong reactions. Perhaps as reward from his medical care???

“Can… Can I speak, freely?” He asked.

“YES!!!” She exclaimed, earning a shake and a head turn from Caleb. She realized her outburst had negative effects so she immediately went to remedy them. “I’m sorry Caleb, yes… please speak freely.”

“I has never been about forgiveness. It has been about trust… and realization.” Caleb answered, adding the last piece on there. He thought a little bit before continuing. “Forgiving is easy, because it was an understandable mistake. Someone very skilled framed me, and an infallible system said I was guilty. A system that has never been wrong before, so why would it be wrong this time? Also, no matter what has happened to me, I still love the people in the situation. Thus, forgiveness is easy, as I said.”

“Caleb, it is NOT easy. To you, maybe, and that speaks volumes about the character of person you are. However, I would gather that no one else on this earth would just forgive that quickly. We all said Unspeakable things, thought unspeakable things, and some of us DID unspeakable things to you. This is not something that someone in your position would do, no matter how many gadgets and enhancements we’ve given you. Forgiveness isn’t something that is given out that easily. I know I wouldn’t forgive others for even a small faction of what has happened to you.” Miranda put in, making it clear what she thought about it. Caleb’s eyes confirmed through her expressions that she was being sincere.

“For me, it is.” He said bluntly, then added with a bit of a softer voice. “Like I said, it was never about forgiveness, it was more about trust and realization.”

“Ok, I will let the forgiveness piece rest and just say you are an extremely, probably overly so, nice and understanding person.” Miranda said, trying her best to keep her tone as a soft and non-confrontational one for Caleb. He could see and hear her attempts at doing so and just sat there while waiting for her to continue. “Can you expand on the trust and realization piece?”

“Yes Ma’am.” He responded, then looked away from her and into the giantess visitation area of his room as if thinking back into his past. He was doing exactly that as he tried to come up with a good way to explain what he was feeling. “Trust… I used to trust that people were inherently good. People would do the right thing if it was in front of them. Sure, certain people didn’t, but they were taken care of soon enough. The GPF was pivotal with that and it was a joy to assist as I could. I used to think that friends, while not perfect, would be there for you when you were at your lowest, and I would be there for them at theirs. Family, they would always love you and always have your back. Even if the whole world was against you, they would be there.”

Caleb stopped there for a long pause as he collected his thoughts. Miranda just sat there, ready to receive what he was saying. He gave her credit for NOT interrupting him and just letting him speak. He hadn’t spoke this much in a very long time… since before this whole ordeal started, and that was over a year prior at this point. Over a year of this… and now he was broken and a shell of his former self, but alive. Lastly, he knew that they were recording what he was saying. Odds were, others were watching live as well. Not that he would use it as a platform for drama, but at least they could spread this around so they would stop asking him for the story or how he felt and what was bothering him. With that in mind, he continued.

“Growing up, with my blood family making me be an emotionless sex slave, that was there only for their amusement and profit, I was used to most of what I went through. Pain was an old friend of mine. While the pain of what I went through this time was immense, it was… normal, expected, and even treasured a little bit. It was like walking back into my childhood. As messed up as it was, it was still comforting to remember a time in my childhood, as if I belonged there. The thought of the whole world being against me, that was normal as well. I didn’t have to think about what I was doing, or who would approve, I just needed to obey, and that was what I did. Little by little, I moved back into that old train of thought and saw Rachel and Audrey as the family I was already familiar with. I even comforted Rachel a few times in that period, knowing what my new/old role was and adapting to a well known life style.” Caleb Explained, his voice informative and contemplative as he tried to explain what he felt like. It was a complicated set of emotions that he was fairly sure he wasn’t explaining correctly, but he was trying.

“Whey I was ‘rescued’ by the GPF from my previous life. I was under the delusion, that just maybe my normal life was not so normal after all. Perhaps, my previous family was just that bad, perhaps that love wasn’t determined by how many whippings I got, pussies I ate, and women I fucked. Perhaps family wasn’t determined by overlords that would require 100% obedience or would hand out punishments and threaten worse and death. Lastly, perhaps life wasn’t just a crap shoot in which I begged for any end to it, some form of death to take me from. As my parent’s and family’s bodies burst under the weight of Rachel’s foot, I thought that this was another end other than death. It was the light at the end of the tunnel and there was something else out there. People didn’t measure love and life the way I was brought up to believe and I could actually live this life, freely.”

“I clung to my saviors, the people that brought me out of the mire of what was my previous life. I tied all my hopes and desires to them and knew them to be infallible and good people. As I got to know them, they were as perfect on the inside, as they apparently were on the outside. These giant women, were my guardian angels and restored a faith in people, not just the giantesses, that I hand never known to cultivate in myself. When they adopted me, it was the most joyous time in my life, I had made it to happiness I thought. Even more when the very agency, founded by these wonderful beings, wanted ME or all people to help with the same cause that freed me. I learned and developed my interest for hacking and computer systems and made the music that Alison was referring to. Then, as if nothing could get any better, I went from having these wonderful, and to me angelic, women be my family, one thought me worth it enough to go further and express her love and I did in turn. I was worthy of a relationship with one of my saviors. I had arrived, to a life of true happiness. Truly, with this many people invested in my happiness, I began to believe and trust that what I grew up with was NOT the normal and that this new life I was given would be my future, and I was in dept to those that gave it. Rachel, my adoptive sister and now love interest, Audrey, my adoptive Mother and protector of my life, the GPF, the extended family that I was in charge of providing safety for in my own way. Everyone seemed to see me more than a child only to be used as sexual outlet, but as a person that mattered.” Caleb expressed this part and it seemed that Miranda could really feel the emotion of what Caleb was saying. He had glorified them all in such a light and she shivered, as she knew that it was all about to be clear that it hadn’t stayed that way.

“Then, in one single night, my whole world that I had built up in my head, came crashing down. This vision I had of the world, became only a short dream or unrealistic expectations. Again, the pain of what was happening, it wasn’t the worst part. Don’t get me wrong, it was bad… really bad, but not foreign. It merely opened my eyes that my life was back to what it was meant to be. The using me for sexual outlets and for amusement, that was expected and normal. I was used to it. That is what I remember Family and people to be, so it was no shock when that was what was happening. I had a bit of hope that it was just some mistake, but little by little, that illusion was taken away. I had promised my new family, when they adopted me, NEVER to lie to them, so that was the only order I chose to not follow. If they asked me anything, before or after, I would tell the truth, no lies, EVER. Thus, I was back to normal, sure they were bigger, but that didn’t matter to me and still doesn’t matter. Giantess or Human, they everyone still had only one expectation out of me, and I was more than equipped to give it, so I did.”

“I knew, even when I was in my dream life, that pain would be a part of it. The size difference couldn’t be overlooked. And even though we took measures to limit the risk, the risk was still there. There is a reason why giantess and human couples usually end in death, and I was ready for it or the pain of mistakes being made. Combined with my fantasies and growing desires, I was ready for pain or death by her hand, by Rachel’s hand… or any other part of her body. So no, pain as bad as it got, was never part of my deliberation of this situation I found myself in. It was something deeper that effected me, something different that broke me and made me realize something beyond the truth I already knew. That realization was, that first, this is where I belong. Amongst the filth and grime, I belonged at the mercy of sexual favors of others and to do their will, their slave. That is my world. Second, that no where in the world is there anyone that loves or believes in me. I am a tool, nothing more… or in the eyes of the giantesses, a bug. Not worth valuing trust from, not worth making happy other than to use for one’s own amusement, not worth keeping empty promises to, and definitely not worth love. All of this…” Caleb said, in a calm voice and the last part gesturing to his artificial body parts that now made up more than 50% of his body. “… doesn’t change that. Build me up, tear me apart. Do whatever you all want to do with me. I will be here, ready to do as I am told, as always. No need to feel anything about it, like I said, it is just normal… and I accept it and trust it.”

There was a silence in the room after his explanation. He had turned his eyes away from her so he could speak freely, without another person to distract him. Now he looked at her again to see a shocked and guilt ridden face. Even though his eyes categorized her emotions correctly, he didn’t understand why she felt that way. Her face was glued to him, her eyes flooding with tears but not blinking, her body shaking and face just in utter shock of what she heard. Caleb’s outlook on life now was obviously not something she was expected to hear. She was probably ready to hear something like, ‘Yes, I love everyone, but they need to gain my trust back.’ Or, ‘They have a long way to go, but I’m willing to give it a shot,’ or even, ‘would everyone just leave me alone already!’. She was ready for all of that and more. But this outlook, his outlook on the world, was not something she understood and just gaped at it. After what felt like hours, she finally got herself to say something, anything to break the silence that had taken the room. She had one more question, and she needed to ask it.

“Caleb… why do you think that?” She asked plainly, voice cracking with regret and sorrow for him. They knew he had a big heart, they knew it was broken to some degree, but she didn’t know it would put itself together in this fashion. He clearly still cared for everyone, like before, but didn’t believe anyone loved or cared for him, or should. Lastly, why did he think this of everyone. If the pain, rejection, and horrors he went through didn’t do it, what piece was she missing.

“In every case, guilty or not, there is usually a group of people there. This group, is deathly loyal to the person. Usually it is a Mother, but it could also be a Father, Brother, Sister, Wife, Husband, or Friends. They say one thing to identify themselves as this loyal to death sort of person, which is, ‘My boy would NEVER do something like that.’ This person or group of people know in their heart, no matter how guilty the person is, that the person is innocent. They have that much love and faith that even logic comes second place to it. Their loyalty is second to none, even to the convicted persons shame. Even if the person admits what they did, they still stand by them, loving and trying to prove their innocence to the end. This person or group of people move heaven and earth to prove what they already know in their heart, that this person is and forever will be deserving of their love and trust. It is why it is so heartbreaking to watch when we knew the Convicted is guilty. Not for the person, but for everyone else that trusted and loved that person.” Caleb explained, not explaining what this had to do with him though, then he continued, “I… I don’t have that.”

“What…?” Miranda asked, confused. He had a whole army of people outside his door at almost all times, eager and ready to throw themselves at him for his forgiveness. Forgiveness that he apparently already gave, but it didn’t make sense to her what he was saying now, everyone knew he was innocent now.

“I don’t have, nor will I ever have that group. During this whole process, not a single person, other than Alison that put me there… which I don’t count, was on my side. Not a single person looked at me as the person they knew, that they loved, that they cared for and said, ‘he would never do something like that,’ or, ‘let’s see what else is happening here’. The evidence, wasn’t even that hard to find, someone else could’ve found it, if they were looking for more than a few hours. But no, no one, not a single person in the entire world had enough love and trust in me to even double check. I am, and always will be, alone in this world. I was alone to myself before, I was alone after I was convicted, I am alone now as I sit here, and I will be alone in my future. My main realization is, that as far as love and trust is concerned… I am alone.” Caleb finished, looked into her face and eyes as she gaped again to what he said, the looked away. He waited for a few minutes hoping that was all she wanted to know. Now that he expressed himself, hopefully she would leave him to be what he knew himself to be already, alone. So he added, hopefully to end this session of Q&A, “Is there anything else Ma’am?”

“Caleb I…” She started, then stopped. She honestly didn’t know what to say.

She was confronted with something that was both unfortunately true and out of her depth. It wasn’t that he was actually alone or that no one loved him, but no one was there for him when he needed them the most. In his mind, he had no one, and all evidence supported that claim. Her life was vastly different from what his was. She had a loving family that would do anything for her, even what he was implying. She had friends and a very large support system both inside and outside of work that she had known almost if not all her life. Lastly the GPF and their agents were like family to each other, and obviously to her. She had counseled many in her role, both human and giantess. Even Audrey treated her like a daughter. She had all the love and support that Caleb rarely experienced. Now, in the aftermath of what happened, he assumed he would never get. She got up from her spot after a considerable amount of time in silence, then walked over to the door.

“I’m sorry…” She stuttered out, then exited the room.

Caleb looked at the door after she left and saw it was locked. He was now alone, again. The silence was comforting and he was able to just sit in the calmness of this room, unclear when he would be able to experience it again. He had learned, his time was not his to dictate. Even now, when people were apparently so committed to his health, he was at the mercy of other people and their time schedule, not his. He tried to close his eyes, but knew he couldn’t. The eyes were just a constant flow of information that he could get overloaded rather quickly. Than he thought of something. If they were computerlike in their operation, which they seemed to be, maybe he could turn them off. He tried, for a while, and finally found what he was looking for. He was able to mentally turn their feedback off, plunging him into blackness again. It was nice, and even though he couldn’t blink, he could do this when he was overstimulated. Good to know.

Miranda had walked back to her office and thought about what Caleb had said. She knew that Audrey would be watching, and would expect a report soon. She gathered her thoughts and didn’t bother putting make up on this time. She was always overly emotional about things, and Caleb’s situation always got her to cry. Every part of it was almost too much for her, especially her involvement in it. She got herself ready, then left for Audrey’s office. She got there and knocked on the door.

“Come in…” Came a voice, both audible yet muffled at the same time.

Miranda entered the office as she had done so many times and saw a sight she was now used to seeing. She saw Audrey behind her desk, hands buried in her face as she cried. She also saw, on the other side of the desk in a chair, another giantess that had buried her head in her arms, doing the same thing. She knew this to be Rachel.

Rachel had taken a bit over 2 months to come back to work. When she had, she was thin and frail from not being able to hold anything down. Eventually they had a talk and they all committed to be ready whenever Caleb was up for seeing them. Ready meant being as presentable as possible, polar opposite to what he knew for the months of his torture. They knew he was very far off from any time of interaction with them, but they would be ready regardless. They still had their moments where the thoughts of what they did would make them sick, and even make them vomit again, but their mental state was getting better. However, whenever Miranda would go talk to him, or any large change in his status, they would watch and await her assessment of him. Any news about him was gold and they were very intent on being up to date about anything he needed. Him getting his eyes and this conversation was such an event. But, if then were listening, they were now crying about what he said… deeply so.

Miranda came in and took a seat in the human section on Audrey’s desk as she usually did. She waited for them as they looked over at her with their swollen eyes and make up streaked faces. They sniffled and tried to wipe their faces clean, but it was difficult for them. Eventually, they were ready to talk with Miranda about what was just said.

“Miranda? What are we supposed to do?” Rachel asked, not being able to comprehend what she just heard. It was obvious by now, from the measures that she and her Mother had taken over the last few months, she loved Caleb VERY much. Any even sideways comment from anyone, even Doctor Lemon, invoked an anger type response. For him not to feel it was like a punch in the gut.

“I… I don’t know if I can do this anymore… visit him that is…” Miranda sighed and whimpered out.

“What do you mean?” Audrey asked, very intent but yet empathetic in her question.

“Every time I go in there, I see a side of life that I just… I can’t fathom it. The amount of pain he was in, the screams as we ‘Helped’ him. Him wishing for death, but unwilling to do it himself. Now, his mind, as sharp as ever, is now very convinced that he isn’t and doesn’t deserve love. I think he wants it, but also wants the opposite, being completely alone so he doesn’t feel his pain again. Not the physical pain, he seams sadly used to that, but the mental trauma from a lifetime of being told just how low he is to everyone.” Miranda ranted a little bit, not sure what to express first. There was so much to do with Caleb that she was sure she couldn’t explain it all if she tried. She then sighed and continued with a visibly heavy heart, “It’s just too much. He is too much. Forgiving us completely, and thinking he is the one with he problem. He is by far the most kind person I know, but also the most resolved to his presumed fate. I’m afraid I can’t do anything for him other than take away his alone time that he so desperately wants… or thinks he wants.”

“I understand, Miranda. I really do.” Audrey said knowingly with an eternally sad expression. “I agree, he is too good for us. We don’t deserve his forgiveness, especially not me. I, his assumed Mother, took his joy and happiness away. Even if he forgives me, I will not forgive myself. Never, I will forever be guilt ridden for what I’ve done. I doubt even he could resolve me of that. But you have something that I don’t have.”

“What is that?” Miranda asked, half knowing the answer, but needed to hear it.

“He tolerates you, he opens up to you. He might be in a hole so deep that we might not be able to help him out of it, but he has someone he can talk to about it, no matter how dark it is. That person is you. He will not talk to me, or Rachel and I don’t expect him to. However, he deserves all the love and support we can give him. Even, and most especially, if he doesn’t think he does. Right now, you are the only one that can help him in that manner. Do anything, I don’t care what it is, but please…” Audrey said, then leaned over as she brought her face very close to Miranda as if begging, which is exactly what she was doing. “Take care of my boy.”

“I… I don’t know if I can… but I will try.” Miranda agreed, fresh tears running down her cheeks as she did so. Seeing these two women in the state they were in, begging her, a human, to help them. Giantesses were perfect at just about anything they chose to do. For them to admit they couldn’t do something was not a small thing. They were not asking, they were begging for her help. As if Miranda held the string to their only hope for relations with Caleb again. It was obvious, as if it wasn’t before, that they loved him wholeheartedly. Caleb needed that, he deserved it, and they were right. He was talking to her more than anyone else. If anyone was going to break through, it was her.

“Thank… you…, from the… bottom… of our… hearts, for all… you do!” Rachel balled out, not being able to form normal sentences. She kept her distance, but was very sincere as Audrey pulled her face away.

“Of course, like we said, he deserves it.” Miranda said, sniffling herself, then got up and walked out of the room.

As the door closed, Audrey turned the room on private and just sat there. They both cried for a bit, causing massive puddles where they were. They were both at work, but anytime Caleb opened up or an issue came up, they would break down.

“I can’t believe that we were actually proud of ourselves for that…!” Rachel cried out, half seething and half regretful. Her tone sounded like she was accusing her Mother, but they both knew she was talking to herself about it.

“About what part?” Her Mother asked for clarification.

“Breaking him. We… we had a competition. We thought it was fun… how sick are we?!?” She exclaimed, grabbing at her head. She seemed like she wanted to pull out her hair, but she didn’t. She still wanted to be presentable for Caleb, whenever it was that he wanted to see them. Having her hair all pulled out would not give him a good look of her. But she was beyond angry at herself about it.

“And we did, we broke him…” Her Mother whimpered out. She knew she wasn’t as bad as Rachel was, and as such Rachel punished herself much more.

However, that didn’t matter to her. She put much value in herself as a Mother. Mother to others, to her job, and to her children. This… What she did… was not Motherly in any respect. She looked at her wrists, remembering when she almost cut her hands off. After that, she had thrown away the plasma knife, not wanting it in her sight any longer. She then thought of the arms he had now, all the internal damage she probably caused, and to hear it didn’t phase him that much, the pain didn’t. It was her not being there for him. She even lied to him to give him hope, exactly the type he was talking about, then destroyed it… and probably his hope and trust in her forever.

“He will never trust us again…” Rachel said, as if quoting Caleb in his last real interaction he had with them.

“Indeed.” They both recited then started crying more.

For Rachel, she couldn’t stand the sight of herself, but yet forced herself to look every day. She wanted to make sure she was perfect for Caleb, whenever that day came. So, she worked out, went on missions, and made sure she was flawless at all times. But, times like this, she just couldn’t. She knew all too well, that while her Mother beat herself up over this, the real villain in this story wasn’t her Mother, or even Alison… It was her. SHE betrayed him, SHE tormented him, SHE turned every fantasy he had into a nightmare, SHE modified her body just to punish him, and that made him more machine now than man. Just looking at him verified that. Lastly, SHE made sure he knew how ALONE and UNLOVED he was.

She had seen his gaze in the video they watched. His new eyes were strange to look at, beautifully done and yet foreign to her. He would never look at her with those loving eyes he had. Even if he opened up enough for her to approach him again, he was physically incapable of looking at her the same way she remembered. Those machine eyes with no eye lashes and an unearthly feel to them were all he had to look at her with. His arms, his legs, his very heart was compromised. As much as she would like to pass the blame, she couldn’t. SHE did all that, and so much more.

She’d already decided, that she would do anything he told her to do. Absolutely anything. She would be ready to end her own life if he so wished it, or even was just his ride now that he was disabled the way he was. She would even betray the whole world like she accused him of doing, if he asked it. She would never love another like him, and deeply loved him now. She could satisfy many others, but she belonged to Caleb now, no matter what. If she had one wish, it would be to have him know and accept just how much she loved him. But, she took that away as well. Because if she couldn’t forgive herself for what she did to him… there was no way that she, in his position, would do it or think anything of her but a monster of the lowest order.

She realized that he was right. He had promised them he would never lie to them. He had done many things, and many things had been done to him. They had broken him, mutilated him, and altered his mind in all the ways that mattered, inside and out. However, even with all that, even with him begging for death… he still had kept his promise to them. When she went home, she knew she didn’t have anything to remind her of the good days. She threw all that away too. All his stuff, not the phones and computers and stuff like that. No, his sentimental stuff, the things that actually meant something to him. And all of that was something to do with her or her Mother. All of that, she had thrown out the first day. She had nothing but her now cleaned apartment to remember him by. Nothing to bring her hope, or a way to bring him hope. Throughout all her efforts, he was alone… unloved… and scared… and it was all her fault…