"J-Jerome? I-Ian? Is that...Mitch? A-Are those r-real...wings?"

Ian could feel his stomach drop as he whipped around seeing Adam standing underneath the cover of the patio, a look of dismay and disbelief on Adam's face as he looked back and forth between Ian, Jerome, and the unconscious Mitch.

Standing behind him were Quentin, Ty, and Jason, who were looking on in surprise as well. Quentin had a look of astonishment on his face as if he couldn't believe what was in front of his very eyes. Ty was looking at them in awe, but he also looked as if a strong realization had come over him. Jason's expression was nearly unreadable, but there was one clear emotion that stood out over the others... fear.

"Look..." Ian said, keeping his voice steady as he tried his best to ignore the nervous feeling twisting in his gut. "We can explain this. It isn't what it looks like-"

"Ian. Are. Those. Wings. Real?!!?!?" Adam asked slowly, trying to keep a steady voice as well.

Ian fell silent. Ian was always in support of Mitch telling the others about his wings, but now the decision was up to him and Jerome. He could feel anxiety roaring through him... worrying about what the others would say if he said the wrong thing, or even the right thing. Is this what Mitch feels all of the time? Ian thought to himself, trying to avoid the stares of the people in front of him. He looked down to Mitch, who was lying in his arms. He felt a pang of pity for Mitch, who was hopeless to stop what was to happen. He looked over to Jerome, who had an anxious look as well, but he nodded, mouthing the words "Tell them."

"Alright." Ian said, looking at each person on the patio in turn before he spoke. "Yes. The wings are real."

He heard Ty gasp from behind Adam, and Ian could see the reluctant look on Adam's face as if he didn't actually expect that answer. "But h-how?" Quentin stuttered.

Ian was about to reply when he was cut off by Jason, whose look of fear was replaced with one of seriousness. "The answers can wait." Jason said with a serious tone in his voice. "We need to get Mitch inside. Just look at him!"

It was then that Ian was suddenly aware of something sticky and warm coating his arms, where Mitch lay. Ian knew what it was even before he even looked down, a strong smell disrupting his thoughts. He looked down to see that there was blood on his arms, and even though the rain was washing some of it off of his arms, there was still a surprising amount on him, the blood getting on his pants as well, dripping onto the concrete.

Being as gentle as he could, Ian rolled Mitch over a bit, trying to avoid touching either of his wings in the fear of damaging them further. He didn't have to move Mitch much before he saw the source of the blood. "Jerome," Ian said quietly, trying to keep himself calm, "Look away, I don't want you to see this."

He looked up to make sure Jerome was looking away (which he was) before he showed the others what had happened. Most of Mitch's shirt had been torn open in the back, and the fabric was singed. There were a series of burns and gashes that tore across most of the left side of Mitch's back. Although most of the injuries were obscured by the blood layered on Mitch's back, there was one large wound that was by far the biggest of them all, which wound around where Mitch's scorched wing connected to his back, and it reached up to the left side of Mitch's neck. Blood was pouring out of it, and Ian couldn't imagine how much it hurt when Mitch had received them.

"Oh my god..." he heard Adam whisper under his breath, before he ran out into the rain next to Ian, asking if he needed any help getting Mitch inside, which Ian refused. Ian could easily carry him inside, seeing as Mitch was really light, but he had to be careful to avoid the wounds.

"Ty put some towels onto the bed in the downstairs guest room for lay Mitch onto. We don't want any blood getting everywhere. You're going to need a lot of them. Quentin, get a bucket or something big that we can carry water in, and fill it to the top. Adam, get the first aid stuff out of the bathroom and get it all into the guest room. All of it. We're going to need aloe too, if you can find any." Jason said with a commanding tone, looking to Adam, Quentin, and Ty, who were looking at him with surprise on their faces. "What are you waiting for?!?!?!? GO!!!"

They jumped at the sudden yell, and scrambled inside, the door banging loudly as it shut behind them. Jason sighed, before turning back to Ian, who was trying to find a way to pick up Mitch without waking him up, or hurting him more. He finally found a good position, and picked Mitch up in his arms. Jason walked over to Jerome, who was still covering his eyes like Ian had told him to. Jason whispered something in Jerome's ear, before motioning him inside. Jerome nodded and ran inside, avoiding looking at Mitch and Ian.

Jason opened the door for Ian, and Ian stepped inside, Jason following after him. Ian shivered as he felt the cold air conditioning hit his wet skin, and he instinctively held Mitch closer to him as he made his way to the guest room. The door to the guest room was wide open, and inside were Quentin, who had a bucket of water in his hands, and Ty, who had just finished with the bed. They both looked worriedly at Mitch, before quickly stepping out of Ian's way. Standing behind them was Jerome, who looked terrified as he watched Ian carry Mitch in.

"Put him on his stomach, so I can take a look at his back." Jason said to Ian, who nodded, before laying Mitch carefully onto the bed. Jason sighed, running a hand through his hair before he took a look around the room. "Hey, where's Adam? I need those supplies!"

"Maybe he's having trouble finding the stuff?" Ty said with a shrug.

Jason groaned. "Alright. Pass me a towel, and put the bucket at the side of the bed." Ian watched as Ty and Quentin hurried to do what Jason had said. Jason caught the towel, and bent by the side of the bed, plunging the towel in to the water bucket. He waited before he took out the towel and placed it lightly onto the largest wound on Mitch's back. "Ian, could you hold this down for me while I go help Adam? Just make sure to press gently, not too hard, or you might hurt him."

Ian didn't respond, instead kneeling by the bed and taking Jason's place at the side of the bed. Jason quickly ran out of the room to find Adam, leaving the four alone in the room. Jerome sat down next to Ian, who could see tears in his eyes as Jerome looked over his best friend.

"So..." Ty asked nervously, "What happened?"

Ian chuckled grimly as he turned his head toward him. "About the wings or the burns?"

"Both, I guess?" Ty asked as he and Quentin looked at each other uneasily.

"Well," Ian said, trying his best to watch what he said around them. "As for the wounds, Mitch thought he could go out flying in that storm... the lightning hit his wings and his back. Which is why he's covered in those burns. That's also why his left wing is scorched like that." Ian motioned to Mitch's wings with a wince. "About his right wing, I think he strained himself too hard trying to keep himself in the air, and it snapped..."

"He was hit by lightning?" Quentin said with disbelief in his voice. "He should be dead!!!"

"Like how he was 'supposed' to be dead when he was hit by that truck? Yeah, Mitch really has a knack for avoiding death doesn't he? Anyways, he had gone out in the storm because he hadn't flown outside in a bit, but I feel really bad for him now. I'm sure the broken wing will heal in a few days, and the other one too, in time... But..." Ian said before he let out a long sigh.

"I don't think angels can fly with just one wing."

"Wait, did you say angel?" Adam asked with surprise in his voice.

Ian turned to see that Jason and Adam were in the doorway, Adam holding the medical supplies in his arms. Adam had a look of surprise on his face from Ian's words, while there was an unreadable expression on Jason's. Ty and Quentin had similar looks of confusion. Ian opened his mouth to explain, before he was interrupted by a strained and pained groan from the bed.

"Guys!" Jerome whispered, "He's awake!"