Goliath, Hudson, and the others were pretty worried for Brooklyn who remained in Sato and Sarai's care for his arsenic. It took them a while to do the operations to heal the young gargoyle for most of the night.

Finally, Sato allowed the clan to see Brooklyn again after he woke from stone sleep, who seemed a lot better and not in much pain anymore thanks to the medical treatment. Hudson smiled down at Brook, who woke, feeling groggy but a bit better, stomach calmed down from his medicine. It wasn't healed all the way, but it was getting there.

"How are you, Brooklyn?" the elder asked. Brooklyn stared up at him, tired but he answered. "Not feeling bad... much," he mumbled hoarsely. Angela smiled in relief.

"I'm so glad we didn't lose you again," she told him in relief. Brooklyn shied a little, but Hudson's comforting hand continued to keep him from falling out of his bed.

"I managed to get most of the poison out, but we'll have to wait a bit more to be sure he can go back to his room," Sato explained. Hudson nodded.

Elisa came to Brooklyn. His heart thumped more again from seeing her, but she smiled at him. "Brooklyn, I found your blanket if you remember it still?" she offered, holding out a blanket. Brook gasped a little; it was his old comfort blanket from that time ago. How he needed it more than ever!

He weakly took it from Elisa, eyes thankful to her, holding it to his chest, closing his eyes, tears falling down again. Hudson hugged him gently. "He appreciated that, Lass." He said to Elisa.

Brooklyn didn't feel brave enough yet to tell his clan about what Thailog occasionally told him constantly in his visions. He just felt too embarrassed and ashamed to say so.

Sato then explained to the others that Brooklyn would have to take it easy with his stomach some more until all of the poison was out before he can learn how to eat other food again, as well as do some x-rays on him to check on his bones to ensure they weren't too badly broken. Brooklyn was scared at hearing the word X-ray and held onto his blanket. Hudson took his hand.

"The x-ray won't harm yeh, Lad. He just needs to check on you." Sato nodded.

"You can rest easy until the machine is ready," he said to Brooklyn. Then Goliath approached, but not too close to over-frighten his Second.

Brook whimpered quietly at the sight of Goliath, but Hudson rubbed his shoulder to ease his tension. Goliath gave him a sympathetic gaze.

"I'm really sorry you have to struggle through all of this again, my friend. But we promise, we will help you get back on your feet and gliding with us again, Brooklyn," he said gently. Brooklyn ducked his head shyly into Hudson's shirt, though his leader's voice felt rather soothing, not like Thailog. He peeked out timidly.

"T-thank you," he said quietly. Goliath smiled at this, which had warmed his heart. Hudson massaged Brooklyn before helping him to lie back onto his pillows until Sato could have him in for the x-ray in a couple more days.

...

After the next evening of resting for Brooklyn, who was happy for his blanket, it was now time for his x-ray examination. Sato came to bring his red patient into the x-ray room where Hudson helped the young one to get onto the table. Brooklyn was scared, but Hudson put a comforting hand on his arm, helping him onto the x-ray table.

Sato turned on the machine, allowing it to scan along the important parts on Brooklyn, including his tail and wings that were the most needed to be looked at.

Brooklyn panted nervously, as the light of the machine began to move over his body. He closed his eyes in fright. It didn't take very long for the scanner to get done.

Right after, Brooklyn was allowed to get up off the table and he clung to Hudson. The elder gargoyle helped the young Second back to his room while Dr. Sato showed Elisa, Xanatos, and the rest of the clan what was going on in Brooklyn's body.

When the x-ray pictures came out, Sato looked at the pictures carefully.

"So, how is our brother?" Lexington asked in concern.

Sato could see that the bones in Brooklyn's broken wing and tail had mended well enough after the surgery he had done on them. There were still some fracture marks on the bones from the recent healing.

"His broken wing and tail seem to be looking better. It might still take another day or two of stone sleep for complete healing because the injuries weren't treated right away. They might also feel tender to the touch. I hope this never happens to him again from these men kidnapping him and doing the awful things they did." Sato explained.

"We do too. We just want him back being our Second in Command and helping us out there on patrol when we need him," Goliath agreed.

"It's understandable." Sarai said. "We all want to see our loved ones well."

"If those morons ever escape again, I'll make sure they will pay!" Broadway growled.

"We all will, Broadway. They had no right to take Brooklyn and do what they did to him." Angela agreed.

"I'll be back tomorrow night for another check on him. I think he should be fine the rest of tonight. Just make sure that he takes his medicine and gets plenty of rest." Sato instructed.

"We will do that, Dr. Sato. Thanks for all your help." Goliath said.

Sato and Sarai left for the night. They would be back tomorrow. Brooklyn's stomach wounds and his ankle were healed so they didn't need to be here quite as urgently now. But they were on call if needed.

....

Hudson had helped Brooklyn back to his room and gotten him back into his bed. Brook was still holding his blue comfort blanket. He was so glad to be away from the doctor, the x-ray machine, and the exam room. Brooklyn had had more than enough of those lately.

"Now that your exam is over, how are you feelin,' Lad?" Hudson asked.

"I just, don't want to be alone, Hudson," Brooklyn gave the elder gargoyle a pleading look. "I was alone for too long, going through their tortures."

"I know. We won't let them hurt ya again." Hudson said. Suddenly, there was a whining outside the door. They both knew it was Bronx. He had felt ignored for the past few nights.

"You feel alright to see Bronx?" Hudson asked.

"Sure."

Hudson got up out of his chair and went to go open the door for their pet. The gar dog was so happy to finally be let into the room to see the red Second. He had missed him when he had been gone. The two of them walked up to Brooklyn's bed. "Easy now, boy. The lad's been through a tough time." Hudson said gently.

Bronx sat down on the floor and put his head on the edge of Brooklyn's bed. He gave him a soft look, whining up at him. It made Brooklyn smile for the first time in a long time. He reached down to pet Bronx on the head. "It's good to see you too, boy." he stated happily.

Then there was a knock at the door. It snapped Brooklyn out of his happy thoughts. It immediately made him pull up his blankets. "You know there is no one here in this castle that is going to hurt ya, Lad. Come in." Hudson coaxed.

"It's just me." Broadway came in.

"How were things looking, Broadway," Hudson asked. "On the x-rays?"

"Brooklyn's wing and tail are looking better. There are still scars on the bones. Another night or two and they should be completely healed." Broadway replied. Then he looked at his brother. "Dr. Sato and Sarai left, but they'll be back tomorrow for another checkup. Um, Brooklyn, do you feel up to try to eat some more soup?" Broadway offered.

Brooklyn still gazed at Broadway with fearful eyes. "I don't know. Still not hungry."

"We know your stomach doesn't feel well, Lad, but you need to keep on tryin.'" Hudson said.

"Okay." Brooklyn reluctantly gave in.

"You can have some of your medicine first if it helps you feel better." Broadway said.

"That might be best." Brook replied.

"We are to make sure that he takes his medicine until he's well again." Broadway said.

Brooklyn was given a glass of water to take with his medicine. He hated having to be on medicine at all, but he had an infection to fight in his system a while longer. Broadway then left to go see about making his brother some soup for his breakfast.

"We need ya to get strength back so yeh can go out and help the clan be fighting strong again, Lad," Hudson gave him a little cheer.

"I know, but... I... I don't know if I'll ever be the same again, Hudson." Brooklyn quivered under his blankets.

"We'll get ya strong again. No matter what. Gargoyles don't give on their warriors." Hudson said. "We help one another through the toughest of times, and this is just one of those times."

Hudson's fatherly or grandfatherly talk was always enough to help make any one of them feel better about themselves. It made Brooklyn smile. The young red male was slowly learning what it was like to smile again.

It wasn't long after that Broadway came in with more soup.

"Even if pain happens, just try to keep eating, Lad. The medicine will fight it. Just eat slow." Hudson tried to encourage the bedridden red one.

"I'll try." Brooklyn whimpered.

"How's your stomach right now?" Broadway asked.

"Hurts a little, but not as bad." Brooklyn replied.

Broadway stood back as Hudson took the tray and placed it over Brook's lap area. Brooklyn looked miserable just looking at the food. The poison and being starved for so long had seemed like food had become his worst enemy.

Swallowing hard, Brooklyn picked up the spoon and took some of the soup in it and put it to his mouth. He got it down. It smelled good and wanted it, but it was what his belly was deciding to do that he would worry about.

He took a few more bites without much happening. The medicine must have been helping a lot more because Brook kept on eating. His stomach ached a little bit, but it must have been starting to accept the food that it wasn't something too bad after all.

Brooklyn managed to eat a lot more of that soup than he had in the past several nights. And he had eaten it normally instead of being force fed. When the tray was taken away by Broadway, Brook said, "Thanks."

"No problem, bro. I want ya to feel better soon." Broadway said. "I'll be happy to make whatever you want when you feel ready to eat more than soup."

"That might still be some time yet, Lad." Hudson said. "At least some few more nights."

It was true. Brooklyn still needed lots of rest. Now that he had a full stomach for the time being, as it could be anyway, Hudson urged Brook to lay down and try to get some sleep.

Brooklyn really didn't want to be alone. Hudson waited for him to fall asleep so he could go leave and talk to the others. He left Bronx with the Second. Bronx was happy to stay with Brooklyn. He just laid on the floor and slept himself, but kept an ear out for trouble.

"How did Brooklyn manage to eat his food?" Goliath asked.

"He managed to eat it and not have too much pain." Hudson replied.

"That's good. Perhaps he's on his way to a faster recovery."

"The food is just the beginning, Goliath. Brooklyn won't be ready to go out with us for some time yet."

"I know. It just hurts seeing him like this, and that he's afraid of me again." Goliath said.

"With Thailog gone, maybe he won't see you as him for as long as he did before," Angela declared. "He's already showing signs of not being quite afraid of me."

"We all have to be patient with him no matter what." Lex said. "Who knows all what those humans did to him, besides poison and hurt his stomach."

"All we can do is be there for him and talk gently. Even if it means keeping your distance. Hopefully, he will open up to us again and tell us all what happened." Elisa proclaimed. "He'll still have bad dreams for sure about what was done to him there. He still believes Thailog is around him."

"They might have drugged him to believe that that monster is still there around him." Lex stated.

"We will do what we can to help him, no matter what, and we will get Brooklyn back." Goliath decreed.