Lexington was just sitting on the couch, feeling bored since another harsh rainy night had come around, keeping the clan indoors.

His own eyes threatened to let out his own water, still thinking about Brooklyn.

"Where are you, bro? I just want you to be able to talk to us again..." he said in a sad voice. Hudson had then sat down with him.

"Why don't ya ask the lad to have some fun with ye?" He questioned. "It'll keep doin' him good to have some fun time, though he's still sad."

Lex perked up a bit but was doubtful. "I don't know. He may get afraid or angry again. Don't want to risk that," he mumbled, hands balling. Hudson took his shoulder.

"Jus' invite him to do somethin' that ye haven't done fer a while. That will probably spark somethin'," Hudson suggested. Lex then nodded, feeling a bit shaken when getting up.

"Alright. I'll try..." The olive gargoyle murmured, going to head over to Brooklyn's room where Brooklyn was resting right now.

Brooklyn at the moment was holding one of his blankets around himself, his eyes closed, still feeling rather sad, not knowing he would soon get a visitor.

Hearing a knock on the door, he jerked, gasping shakily, keeping a hand on his belly, the door opening, revealing the small gargoyle, who was smiling.

"Hi," he greeted, doing his best to be cheerful and not look pitied in front of his red brother. Brooklyn just glared back, eyes brimming with grief, curling up.

"Don't... just go away." He grunted sourly, moving to hide in his blankets. Lex wouldn't give up, approaching carefully, a gentle hand on Brooklyn's shoulder, too.

"J-just wondered if... if ya wanted to play some cards with me? It's been a while. I can let you win if you want, it's been rather boring recently." Lexington then offered, still smiling cheerfully. Brooklyn looked up, seeing that Lex wasn't looking at him with pity like everyone else, which was different. He heard his voices in his head, though.

"They all hate you... false cheerfulness..."

"Pitiful gargoyle..."

Brook grunted angrily, holding his hair under his blankets. Lex backed away, just in case. But then he stopped shaking. He then realized he could prove to those demons that his family wasn't tricking him. He too had been feeling bored. Coming out, he gazed at his smaller brother, who smiled again. Eventually, Brooklyn nodded timidly, wiping his eyes.

"Cool! How about Crazy 8?" he suggested. Brook shrugged, climbing off his bed, still wearing his jacket and wings around most parts of his body, allowing Lex to bring him to the living room. Lex sat Brooklyn down at the table in his chair while he got the cards, the rain coming down in buckets. The newsman proclaimed no lightning for tonight, which the clan was grateful for, mostly for Brooklyn's sake since he was terrified of lightning now from the Quarrymen's terrible hammers.

Brooklyn numbly took his cards after Lex shuffled them and displayed them in the Crazy 8 display. The game went well so far, Brooklyn being mostly calm throughout, even giving his smaller brother a smile that said thank you to Lex. Lex beamed back. He always liked seeing Brooklyn smile.

But then, an unexpected moment made it turn for the worst. Brooklyn was looking at his cards when suddenly, a blinding flash of light shone through the room, followed by an echoing boom. This spelt trouble for Lex, who jumped as much as Brooklyn did. It would seem the weatherman was mistaken about the no lightning part. It scared Brooklyn pretty badly, making him think of the Quarrymen's hammers. He leapt from his seat, heart hammering, eyes widening in fear. Lex did his best to keep things normal.

"You're ok, Brook. Just a little lightning. It won't hurt you," he tried. Brooklyn backed away, a vision of Castaway holding his hammer, the electricity flashing in his eyes. This terrified Brook to a great extent when more lightning flashed. He screamed, running.

"GET AWAY! DON'T ZAP ME!" He sobbed, running quite fast. Lex ran after his scared brother. "Brooklyn, calm down, please!"

Brooklyn raced along the hallways. He had to hide from him! The lightning kept on flashing everywhere he went, seeing Quarrymen everywhere from his PTSD attack. Then he spotted a closet. Going over, Brooklyn went into it to hide. But as soon as he stepped in, the door closed in on him since he pushed it pretty fast.

His panic rose even higher, trying to open it. "Agh! LET ME OUT!" The Second screeched, his claustrophobia beginning to affect him, as well. The darkness in the closet suffocated him, thinking the walls and ceiling would crush him like last time, nonstop tears coming. He hammered on the door, forgetting about the doorknob.

Lex heard pounding on the same closet door Brooklyn once went in before. He ran, opening the door to let him out. Brooklyn instantly collapsed out, running to a place to get air, still feeling claustrophobic and afraid of lightning that still kept up its deadly display.

Hudson had heard the commotion, coming to see what happened. Lex explained at how everything seemed to be going fine until this unexpected lightning that happened. Hudson knew that Lex could catch up to Brooklyn better than him.

"Go get yer brother. I'll get the others," Hudson said gently and urgently. Lex nodded, tears present, running to find him.

Brooklyn's scent led him to the balcony after searching everywhere. This sent fear for Brooklyn's safety in his veins. He couldn't let Brooklyn run away in his condition again. Racing as fast as possible to reach his brother on time.

He reached the balcony, gasping a little at the sight of Brooklyn out there drenched in the rain, looking terribly scared and panicked, lightning raging all around. Brook whimpered, shielding his eyes, the rain soaking his skin, shivering from chills and fear.

"Get... those... terrible hammers... away!" Brook pleaded, next curling into a ball. He felt stuck out here; unable to move. He didn't want to go back inside because of his claustrophobia fear. But he couldn't fly away, either, afraid of Castaway finding him again to finish him off.

Lex felt sadness inside for his terrified brother, slowly stepping out, hand reaching out too.

"Brooklyn?"

The red gargoyle glanced up, startled from Lexington's approach, backing away from him.

"Get back! Don't hurt me again!" Brook pleaded further, eyes shimmering with sorrow. Lex shook his head, getting down on his hands and knees, ignoring the rain.

"I would never hurt you, bro. Do you remember when I helped you during your stomach pain? I can help you again. Please come inside? I'll dry you off." He offered gently, smiling again. Brooklyn hesitated, not sure to trust this Quarryman, which is what his PTSD was showing him currently and finding it weird again for him calling him bro. But then his vision flickered; and the image was replaced by Lex, his little brother, eyes so gentle and caring.

Lex could tell his words seemed to have an effect on his red brother, shoulders relaxing, but still timid, nodding, slowly taking baby steps back towards the entrance, gulping at the idea of being under a roof again. He felt his brother's hand take his.

"It'll be ok. You're safe. It's alright," Lex whispered, taking Brook indoors. Brooklyn sneezed. The olive one prayed Brooklyn didn't catch a cold. He already suffered too much from that evil poison nearly killing him.

He guided Brooklyn through the castle to the fire, sitting him down in his chair. Brooklyn had his arms around himself, teeth chattering. Lex instantly went to get a couple towels, running into Broadway after getting them and asking Broadway to bring Brooklyn his PTSD medicine and some hot soup. Broadway nodded instantly, heading over to the kitchen.

Brooklyn meanwhile was still shaking, waiting for his brother's return, panting croakily from his PTSD attack, eyes still rounded and darting about for any signs of enemies, especially Castaway. But then he heard his voice.

"Such pain and sorrow for you to endure, Freak... I'll bet you wish the poison had taken you now. Your precious family wouldn't have to be put through all this trouble... wasting time and money on stupid medicine care for you..."

Brooklyn gritted his teeth. "Grrh! Shut up!" He sniffled, covering his ears. Castaway's words were pretty much poison itself, tearing apart his brain and heart, his head thumping with a bad migraine. Lex had heard Brooklyn shout out when returning, ears flattened from his brother's small, scared voice. He prayed the medicine would settle him.

Walking slowly, Lex gently and shakily took his brother's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze to signal his presence. Brook opened his eyes, seeing Lex with a warm looking towel. He allowed Lex to drape it around his body. Brooklyn curled up inside it, eyes so sore from his misery. He couldn't help the sob escaping the back of his throat.

"Broadway's bringin' your medicine, Brook. Hang in there." Lexington assured him, making hand circular massages on his back even with his jacket to calm him, too. Brooklyn kept shaking. A bit warmer now but his head and belly hurt.

"Oh... d-don't feel so good..." Brook moaned in pain, holding his stomach. Lex glared.

"Don't you dare get sick on us again, bro. You already suffered too much. Please..." he begged, hugging his brother. Brooklyn's eyes were still shy, but he nodded, doing his best to breathe.

Broadway and the rest of the family came with the food and medicine, all looking upset to still see their beloved member in such a state right now, being hugged gently by Lexington. Broadway handed the medicine and soup to Lex, who took it. Brooklyn again was stubborn about eating, mostly from all the eyes of everyone else so glued onto him, especially from Elisa, covering up his body more with his towel over his jacket.

"Don't look... at me!" He snapped in despair, tears falling down. Hudson then made a move to make sure Brooklyn had air, making everyone step back.

Lexington was able to eventually help Brook swallow a couple bites of soup, then the medicine. It took a moment but eventually, Brooklyn's trembling slowed down, lying down on the couch. He still sniffled but not as bad as before. Lex did a couple more massages, smiling, glad the medicine had kicked in.

"It's over now. The storm will soon pass. You'll be alright," he murmured.

Brooklyn just looked so tired as he nodded, while he managed a couple more swallows of food. Goliath smiled at the tenderness between the two brothers. This was what rookery brothers did. Elisa still hoped soon too that Brooklyn would accept her again like how he accepted his brothers (even if he still wouldn't say anything about his imprisonment), wondering what it would take to do so when simply reading to him and saying hello didn't feel like enough to earn the red male's trust again.