"Meow! Mrrraaoow! Raaow!"

Anti's head hurt at sound of the loud noise. He cringed involuntarily and growled.

A cute soft chirp then sounded and he sighed softly. He felt like he had been sleeping. Really, he could fall right back asleep.

"He awake?"

Anti flinched and sat up immediately, "Gah!"

"Aaah!" some of the others in the room echoed their own shout of surprise.

Anti's head was still light and dizzy so he swayed suddenly back down on his back but with a groan, "Mmmmmmmhahh. . . .fooking hell"

"Meow!"

Anti blinked and looked down at his belly, "What the-?"

"Oh uh . . ." Marvin came up to him and pet the cat on Anti's stomach, "She wouldn't leave your side all day. She must really like you"

"You feeling okay, man?" Chase asked a little ways away. He was currently trying to play chess with Jameson, having been waiting with the others for him to wake up.

Jackie grunted to make his presence known. Anti flinched violently, seeing the hero directly beside him, "Jaysus Christ! MAKE NOISE, FUCKER!" Luckily the cat on him wasn't phased by his outburst.

Jackie chuckled at his reaction, "Sorry. Looks like you got your attitude back"

Anti growled again but calmed when the cat started to purr again, crawling up closer to his chest to snuggle.

He melted and sighed again, "Wh-what's her name?"

"Basil" Marvin smirked, "Either you're covered in catnip or she's got a real soft spot for you"

"I haven't huffed any lately so she must just like me"

Henrik sighed, "Catnip causes different effects on a human being. It can cause hallucinations if not properly used. Could explain your behavior this morning-"

"I was fucking joking" Anti rolled his eyes and scratched under Basil's chin, "What happened?"

Chase sighed just as Jameson beat him once again, "Uh . . . you kind of freaked out. You came downstairs with your sheets covered in blood"

Jackie took over, his arms crossed, "Henrik says you were suffering from blood loss and then had a panic attack."

"Had to give you normal IV and then chocolate to help restore normal iron levels" Henrik looked through some papers, not really into the conversation, "You need to relax more. Your excessive stress and anxiety lately has not been good for you, causing you to become damn near anemic."

Anti snorted, "Not like I can just stop feeling that way. I can't help but feel distrustful of you bastards after what you all did to me, you know."

"I believe we discussed this last night-"

"Oh fuck off, Discount Dr. House! We both know what you said is bullshit! Doesn't give you ANY excuse!"

"He's right" Jackie spoke out, "We haven't exactly. . . . . been understanding. . . like Sean wanted."

"Hmph" Henrik huffed, "Sure" he said sarcastically.

"ARE WE NOT FUCKING EVEN!?" Anti shouted but the cat still didn't move, crawling even closer up under his chin. Anti stilled and whined a little, thrown off his anger by the overly affectionate cat, "Can you . . . do something about her so she doesn't get blood on her fur?"

Marvin bit his lip, trying to keep himself from grinning, "Is she bothering you? Because you don't have to worry about getting blood everywhere for a bit."

"What do you mean?"

'Marvin used black magic on your neck to keep it from bleeding' Jameson signed, 'And Henrik stitched your neck to try and prevent it from happening again'

Anti paled, "WHAT!?"

"Hey easy there" Marvin tried to defend himself, "Do you really want something like that to just happen again while you're here? This way you might not have to be in this situation again"

Henrik was quiet but watched Anti's reaction as he let the cat nearly hug him, trying to take a nap. The action was actually damn cute and seeing Anti accept it was . . . strange but calming in a weird way.

But although Anti accepted the cat's love, he didn't accept the Septic ego's help.

"I told you bastards I didn't want ANY of you near me too close or touching my neck"

"Would you rather have bled out?" Chase asked him.

". . . . . . . . . Yes"

"I'll remember zhat, then"

Anti felt the stitches on his neck and snarled but he pet Basil, burying his face in her soft fur, hearing her purr in his ear.

" Get this fucking IV out of me. I want to go to my room"

"Are you sure ab-"

"I WANT . . . to go to my room"

Marvin shut up and leaned forward to take Basil from him so he could sit up easier. The cat mewled in protest but let her owner hold her instead, purring in his arms.

Henrik quickly removed the IV in his arm and let Anti stand up on his own.

Anti stumbled for a moment and Jackie instinctively tried to reach out for him but he glitched away.

The others watched as he walked out and up to his room.

"Stubborn asshole" Henrik scoffed, "Think he'd be more grateful"

"We all knew how touchy he was, though" Chase defended him, "Maybe we should have called for Dr. Iplier."

"Why is zhat?!"

Jackie stepped in, "Because he's obviously more comfortable with him. He doesn't trust us and really after all of this and what's happened. . . .I don't blame him"

Henrik rolled his eyes, angry knowing he was right, "Vhatever. I'll look into contacting him. Maybe."

'What about what he said before?' Jameson asked.

Chase snorted, "Which part?"

'Are we even?' Jameson signed, seemingly concerned, 'I know we think he's done a lot of bad things to us . . . but we've also . . . paid that back or so we think, right? And if Sean says he really didn't . . . then we owe HIM'

"You really believe zhat nonsense?" Henrik laughed, "Of course Sean is protecting him! The community loves him more than any of us! Of course he'd protect his most prized ego. Probably even made Anti believe it was all a lie if that makes you all feel any better"

Jackie shrugged, "Either way . . . the aggression needs to stop. This . . .awkward tension. It's not good for anyone. Agreed?"

The others nodded their heads and at first Henrik wanted to protest some more but really . . . they were right. They'd get no where how things were.

And no matter how much Henrik despised it . . .. he'd have to try and accept the glitch's presence.

Anti was laying on his bed on his computer. He pulled up a video-calling site and emailed a friend.

It took a while to get a response but finally they accepted the call.

Then a familiar face popped up on the screen.

"Been a while since I've seen YOUR shitty face" he smirked.

Anti smirked back, "You damn near blinded me with your pale, ghost-skin! Sup?"

Dark snorted, "Sup? Seriously? You haven't contacted me in weeks but suddenly you try and video chat with me? Thought you were never going to talk to me again after what I said?"

"I guess I had to admit it was pretty childish of me to act that way"

"Isn't that what I said to YOU?"

"Oh fuck off, man. I'm trying here!"

Dark chuckled, "Yeah, I guess it's better than nothing. Where are you? You don't look like you're at your apartment"

Anti swallowed, "Uh . . . that's because I'm not. . . Dr. Iplier, Mark or Host didn't tell you?"

Dark raised his brow at him curiously, "Tell me what?"

"Mmmmm . . . . . Sean had me move back in with the other Septics-"

Dark's image on screen glitched and he scowled, suddenly shouting, "ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME!? IS HE STUPID!?"

Anti twitched a little but it was enough to make Dark calm down a bit. The Iplier took a few deep breathes but still looked pissed off. Anti reached unconsciously to his neck, fingering at the stitches.

That's when Dark noticed that, "What happened to your neck? It's never been stitched before. You usually have it bandaged if it's bothering you"

Anti shrugged, "It's nothing. I not too anxious"

"Did they hurt you?"

Anti bit his lip, "N-no . . . that's the confusing part. . . . they helped me" Dark gave a look like he'd need more information and Anti sighed, "I got too nervous around them yesterday and this morning. I bled a lot more than I'm used to and I passed out. The doctor stitched me up and the magician did something else to keep it from bleeding so much"

"You never let Dr. Iplier stitch you up"

"I was kind of unconscious, Dark . . . . anyways . . . I don't know. I can't tell if they really are trying to befriend me now or just trying to earn my trust so they can trick me later"

"That why you finally called me?"

"You are pretentious and a downright ass sometimes . . . but you're also smart. What do you think? Should I give them a chance?"

"Aren't you giving them a chance by living there? We both know Sean wouldn't REALLY dump you there if you weren't willing to try, too"

". . . . . . .. "

"Sounds like I'm right"

Anti breathed in deeply and exhaled slowly, "I don't know, Dark. Something doesn't feel right. They say all this crap about it being hard to trust me and then they talk so nice and help me. Then they talk shit again of a past that didn't happen . . . . and then they offer me breakfast or to pet their cat"

Dark stared at him like he was confused but shook it off, "Ooookay. They're having a tough time of it but it sounds like they really are trying. If it doesn't work out, Anti . . . and if they DO hurt you or anything . . . .. you know you can come here, right?"

Anti shrugged, "Sean says he has a home down in LA if this doesn't work out. If anything, I'll be close-by"

"Okay . . " Dark smiled at him gently, "Well I better make sure the others went to bed. It's pretty late. Call me tomorrow?"

Anti wrinkled his brow, "Late? It can't be that late to you. If it's that late there, then it'd be SUPER late here! I just woke u-" he suddenly saw the time at the bottom of the computer and freaked out, "SHIT! FUCK! I told Sean I'd call him earlier tonight! I gotta go before he comes down for a hunt! Bye, glow-bitch!"

Before Dark could come up with a witty retort, Anti slammed the computer shut and called Sean and Evelien on his phone, putting his worries at ease.

Meanwhile at the Iplier mansion, Dark sighed, shutting his own computer, "Brat. I presume you heard all of that?"

"Of course I did, the Host smiled, walking closer into the room with Darkiplier. The Host can hear and see everything"

Dark snorted, "Now if only you could mind your own business from time to time"

"The Host does not see the problem, he said, It is not like he actively interferes with other's lives"

"Just the other day, you narrated Yancy to nearly bite his tongue off because he wouldn't stop singing."

"The Host shrugged and simply complained that some other people need to learn to respect others boundaries as well. Darkiplier scowled at the Host but he wasn't took taken aback by it. He did that to everyone. He proceeded to ask Darkiplier why he was getting up to go speak with Dr. Iplier?"

Dark was indeed walking away but he never said where he was going, "I need to go check up on everyone. True, I was going to go see the doctor first but that hardly matters. Mind your own business, Host. I'll see you tomorrow" with that, he bowed slightly, leaving the Host on his own.

Dark shook his head, making his way to Iplier's office, 'Host never listens. Always listening in on everyone's business. He needs a better hobby'

He walked in the office and the doctor greeted him with a small smile, "Ah! Dark! How 'lovely' to see you this evening" he said sarcastically.

"Cut the shit, Doctor. William, do you think you can leave us to talk alone for a few moments?"

Wilford grinned as he sat on the hospital bed. He had going through some 'therapy' sessions with the residential doctor but Dark was certain it wasn't helping. Nonetheless, it gave Wilford someone to ramble on to.

"Well, sure, Darky!" he hopped up enthusiastically, "I gotta hit the old hay, anyway! Hey, any chance Celine might be awake yet?"

Dark glared at him, "No. Go to bed"

Wilford waved him off, "Oh, you! Nighty, night!"

Dr. Iplier sighed as it just left him and Dark, "What can I do for you?"

Dark crossed his arms, "How much does Henrik hate Anti?"

"A lot. Why?"

"Did you give Henrik any files on Anti ever?"

". . . . No. . . .. why?"

Dark knew that he wasn't lying and sighed, "Sean had Anti move in with the Septics again"

Dr. Iplier suddenly looked just as upset, "Seriously!? After everything I had to fix the last time!? Did something happen again!?"

"Not yet. Nothing too bad anyway, I guess. Just got off a video-chat with Anti. He had stitches on his neck and I asked what happened. He said that he got too worked up and suffered major blood loss. Said Marvin cast a spell to help blood loss in the future and Henrik stitched his neck while he was unconscious"

Dr. Iplier didn't look like he knew quite what to say, ". . . . . Hen didn't kill him? . . . huh. That sounds like progress. But still, I don't know if I trust it. Henrik hates Anti after what he 'thinks' he did to all of them. I've tried talking to him but . . .. it just doesn't get through"

Dark nodded, "Okay . . . you think maybe you could send over some files to Henrik? Try talking to him again? Make sure he knows that I know."

Dr. Iplier nodded, understanding his threat, "Okay. Sure thing, Dark."

Dark gave him one last nod before walking out of the room, leaving Dr. Iplier to himself.

'Well . . . it's kind of late and it'd be REALLY late there . . . or too early. But if I know Henrik like I think I do. . . he won't be sleeping'

Dr. Iplier snorted to himself, just thinking if Henrik really did end up messing up and hurting Anti, "He'd be SO dead"