Jameson watched Anti silently as he tried to reach up the counter cupboards. He was. . . concerned but didn't want to intervene in case Anti shouted at him. Today was when Dr. Iplier would come over for the first time and everyone was a little on edge on what the doctor would say. Would he shout and yell at Henrik? Threaten him? And what would the other Septic egos do? Just let it happen or should they defend Henrik?

Jameson honestly didn't know what he'd do. He was just lost on what he wanted to do and what he should do. He wanted to be the nice one in all of this. He saw where Anti was coming from but it was hard to get past when he remembered Anti possessing his body. He remembered the glitch's laughter in his head. The taunting whispers. How he used him like a damn puppet on strings, throwing him around like a ragdoll only to slice his throat. It was Henrik that came to his rescue, saving his life and patching up his throat.

That's why. . . . he was so reluctant in helping Anti now. He just . .. stayed back. Letting him do his own thing. Stubbornly.

Jameson just wondered to himself. Would anyone come with Dr. Iplier?

"Ah!"

Jameson blinked at the shout and flinched at the crash that followed only to see Anti now on the floor, crumpled and embarrassed, a few boxes of poptarts and broken-open oatmeal on top of him. Jameson reached out to go try and help him but stopped himself once again.

Anti tried to lift himself, tossing the mess off of him.

He obviously didn't even know Jameson was in the same room, the mute was so quiet.

Anti struggled by himself, turning back to the wheelchair but couldn't lift himself up, the chair moving away from him every time he tried. Jameson just barely heard Anti whine. He saw him shake and it tore at Jameson's heart.

Finally, he reluctantly stepped over and held the chair for him. He snapped his fingers at Anti, making him flinch and look up at him.

'Come on. Don't quit now. You have a long road of recovery ahead'

Anti glared at him, "Wh-what do you care? Wasn't that long ago that you HELPED the others. Fucking hypocrite"

Jameson didn't seem phased, still holding the chair.

"What? Got nothing to say to that?"

'I'm not going to try and defend myself to you, Anti. I know I did wrong. We all did. All I can do now is try my best be that in helping you or being a better person'

Anti glared at him.

They just stared at each other for a while, unblinking.

Until finally, Anti rolled his eyes and grunted as he picked himself up more, heaving himself onto the chair as Jameson held it in place for him.

Breathing a little out of breathe, Anti huffed, "Don't tell anyone about this"

'I'll clean up your mess.' Jameson quickly ruffled Anti's hair and bounced away before he could attack. To soothe him, he picked up a package of poptarts and gave it to him. Anti growled but simply ripped open the package, wheeling backwards as Jameson swept up the fallen mess.

Jackie walked in then to see the mess Jameson was cleaning and Anti sitting in his wheelchair watching, "What happened in here? Ah, is that all my oatmeal!? Dammit!"

Jameson smiled at him, 'Sorry! Everything was pretty clumped together. I couldn't stop everything from falling out!'

Anti wondered why Jameson lied for him but didn't say anything. He kind of knew why.

Jackie chuckled, "It's okay, Jameson. I can get more tomorrow. Anti, you want me to wheel you into the living room? Dr. Iplier will be here soon. Marvin was teleporting off to get him, I think."

" . . . Whatever" he wasn't looking forward to it. Plus, he knew Sean was going to be over, too just in case the Septics hid information from him. Would he make it over in time? Should he text him to let him know?

He munched on the rest of his poptart as Jackie pushed him in.

Suddenly he shivered and his hairs nearly stood on end. In the corner of the room in the shadows was someone . . . someone eerie and . .. . frightening. Anti could only see the green eyes glowing like a predator and his toothy grin. His heart raced and he started to sweat, unaware of Henrik coming over to check on him, seeing these strange signs.

'It's the things from my nightmare' Anti paled and his muscles tensed, 'M-me?'

"-nti! Anti! Can you here me?!" Henrik snapped his fingers in front of his face and Anti suddenly flinched, looking away from . . himself.

Anti blinked and looked back into the shadows on the other side of the room. . . but no one was there.

"Easy there" Henrik seemed genuinely worried, "You could rile up a heart attack or seizure like zhat. Vhat happened?"

"I thought I saw something"

"Saw something?" Chase peered over where Anti was staring, "Like a spider or something, dude?"

Anti didn't want to really tell them what he saw and instead fibbed a little, "Maybe"

"I called Sean already to see where he was at" Jackie waved his phone around, "And I imagine Marvin will be here any-"

"I'M HERE!"

". . .second"

The magician grinned from ear to ear and motioned to the people he brought with him, "Brought the doc and some friends! They were worried about their little glitch buddy"

Everyone was hyper aware of Dr. Iplier glaring at Henrik, stomping over immediately to take his place, "Are you alright? Can you really not feel your legs?"

Anti was still a bit in shock from a moment ago and just nodded.

With Dr. Iplier, came a couple familiar faces like Wilford and Darkiplier. Darkiplier stayed back but the air was tense with him just being there. He stared at Anti, looking him over but didn't say anything. He didn't need to. Everyone in the room knew he was pissed.

Wilford skipped over, however, and grinned down at him, "Hey, what's eating ya, scout!? Stand on up and give your old buddy a big hug!"

Anti just stared at him, not sure how to respond.

Dr. Iplier sighed, "We've been over this, Wil. Henrik 'accidentally' poisoned Anti. He's paralyzed from the waist down. He can't stand or walk"

Wilford's face fell, ". . . .Ah. Well sorry about that!" he still smiled, "That's gotta suck!"

"It does" was all Anti had to say.

Finally Dark spoke, "You can still come live with us, Anti. I don't mind at all. We have the room and Dr. Iplier can certainly help you better"

Henrik wanted to argue at that but then again, he didn't want to die today. The odds weren't that great in his favor, after all.

"I'm fine, Dark. . . I-"

'Knock! Knock! Knock!'

"It's probably Sean" Chase left the awkward tension in the room to go open the door, "Oh hey, guys! Everyone's in the living room. You want some tea or coffee?"

Sean just pushed his way in without answering, leaving Evelien to politely ask for some tea.

The Septic creator nodded to the Iplier egos and sat down on the couch right next to Anti were Jackie had wheeled him up to, "How are ya today? Feeling okay?" he felt his forehead for a fever.

Anti was too overwhelmed. There were too many people around. He felt as if he were being suffocated.

He shook his head, pushing Sean off of him, "I'm fine. I just . . .want to fucking walk on my own already"

Marvin sighed, "I already told you, Anti . . . it's gonna take a lot of time"

The glitched snarled, "I should have fought you harder on staying here" he told Sean, "I don't know what to feel anymore. Everything's so fucking confusing and . ."

He wanted to say how scared he was but he couldn't. Not in front of so many others.

But Evelien seemed to understand when she came in, "You can still come live with Sean and I if you want"

It hurt Anti's heart that none of the Septic egos defended why he should stay with them. After almost two weeks of living there and they still . . ..

"It's Anti's decision" Marvin spoke up, "Whatever he wants to do. But I do have to say . . . Basil would be quite unhappy if you left, Anti"

That caused Anti to smirk a little, "Ah, she'd find some other lap to sleep on"

Dr. Iplier quietly took Anti's vitals and listened to Henrik and the other's words on what the drug was all about.

Wilford was aloof but he heard and knew enough to feel something. He wasn't stupid, after all. He was itching to reach for his gun but Dark already told him he needed to stay calm.

While Dark on the other hand. . . he was more than furious. He wanted nothing more than to let Celine unleash hell fury on Henrik. On all of them, really for what they did to Anti. He remembered the last time his friend had stayed here and what these egos did to him.

It was all inhumane and disgusting. Of course, he did understand to a degree what the others were thinking but it was no excuse to do what they did after the information they were given.

Henrik feared for his life. He wasn't sure if his brothers would really defend him or not, especially Sean.

"Well for the moment, you're not dying" Iplier joked, taking his blood pressure, "But your blood pressure is running a little high. Still using the breathing techniques I showed you before?"

Anti shrugged, "I forget sometimes"

"Remember to write in your journal, too. I know you don't like it but it will help, I promise"

"You have a journal?" Chase asked him.

Anti recoiled a little defensively, "Yeah, what of it!?"

"Nothing, man. So do I." he chuckled.

Anti relaxed, letting Dr. Iplier continue, "Unfortunately, there's nothing I can do for your legs that hasn't already been done now. Marvin told me about the spell he used on you. I don't know anything about magic but by what he told me, you might be ready to start walking again in half a year"

"H-half a year?" Anti knew that was the date from before. . . . he just hoped that maybe. . . maybe he'd get a different answer from someone who didn't hate him.

Everyone was stock silent, letting the news soak in a little.

"Can't ya just cut them off and let them grow back!?"

Everyone stared at Wilford.

Dr. Iplier glared at him deadpan, "No, Wil. People are not lizards. You can't grow back limbs"

"I grew back my head before. . . .I think. Maybe that was something else. . . ."

"Anyway . . . have you been getting strange dreams lately? Headaches? Weird bruises?" the doctor asked.

Everyone awaited his answer and really he couldn't like about this, "Y-yeah . . . why?"

"What have you dreamt about, Anti?"

". . . . Weird memories. Memories that Sean says aren't real. Nothing different from before. And the headaches-"

"Could be from added stress and the drug. Anti, you really should think about moving away from-"

"I'll think about it, alright?"

"Please do" Evelien sighed, "I do like all of you" she spoke to the other Septic egos, "But all of this has just gone too far. I worry for all of you"

Sean had stayed quiet for most of the conversation but nodded wordlessly.

"I said I'll think about it"

"What about Jackson's time traveling abilities?" Dark asked, "Have any of you-"

'Can't' Jameson shook his head, 'It's too far back. I can only go maximum maybe an hour'

"Fine. . . ." Dark glared at nothing seemingly defeated, "If I think of anything else, I'll let you know, Anti"

The glitch nodded, knowing his friend would indeed think of anything and everything.

"Right" Dr. Iplier stood back up and pat Anti's shoulder, "Well I guess this is all I can do for now. Let me know if you need anything or if anything changes"

Henrik rolled his eyes, "I can get him anything he-"

Iplier glared at him, "I don't trust you as a doctor anymore, Henrik. Let me make that perfectly clear. You took an oath just as I did. And you broke it, hurting a patient that was clearly of no harm to you"

Henrik was quiet but he had loads to say in his head on how the oath was all fake memories according to Sean and to those memories, Anti was practically a demon.

But he kept his mouth shut, not even sure of himself anymore. He couldn't think like that anymore. It wasn't right. Dr. Iplier was right and he had to accept that.

With a solemn good-bye, Wilford, Dark and Dr. Iplier left with Marvin's help, leaving Sean and Evelien there to stay.

"I still think that maybe you should get out of here for a bit" Evelien bit her lip, "I know you're trying to stay strong but I also know it's hard for you being here. You're afraid and that's okay to admit, Anti"

Anti shook his head, "I'm fine"

"You say that" Sean sighed, "But I think-"

Chase snorted at him and Sean looked up at him curiously, "What?"

Chase shrugged, "Nothing. . .. it's just funny . . . You always . . You always just take charge, don't you? It's whatever you think and it goes eventually. Just like when you created us with those horrid memories. You never gave thought to how we'd feel. Just if it was a good story. I know it's a confusing time for Anti right now but I don't blame him for not wanting to stay with you. He's never stayed with you, right? Don't you think there's a reason for that?"

Everyone froze at that. Chase had never spoken like that to Sean before, so angry.

But then again, the other Septics didn't want to correct him either and Anti . . .

Honestly, he couldn't help but to side with Chase.

Wasn't it all Sean's fault to begin with?

Why did Anti always run to him?

Few words later, Sean and Evelien left and Evelien seemed sorry but it didn't really matter.

Anti watched them go.

The shadow in the corner of the room, stalking the back of his mind, encouraging his fears.

It was like a demon preying on them all but they were all too hung up on their own memories and fears to say anything about it, letting it be invisible to their eyes and thoughts.

Anti just prayed what he saw was just a figment of his imagination. A near-corporeal ghost that haunted his fake past that Sean placed upon him.

What Anti didn't know was that he wasn't the only one who was plagued by this creature.