Tommy woke up dazed, coughing roughly and rasping for breath. A relieved voice above him thanked the stars that something worked. Tommy rolled on his side and brought his hand up to his throat, pulling the collar of his shirt and hoodie as far away from it as he could muster.

"Shh, it's ok kid. You'll be ok." Tommy's body started shivering and he looked up at the person, seeing Themis hidden under a grey cloak. It looked like he'd been crying, but that was probably the smoke. Tommy opened his mouth to talk and Themis shook his head.

"You can't talk, you breathed in too much smoke. It's ok, I'm gonna get you help. I'm not supposed to be here though, so you're going to have to play it all off as you, ok?" Tommy nodded and took another gasping breath. His body felt like it was on fire. Themis opened a portal and pulled out a gun. He pointed it outside of the alleyway and shot it, leaving Tommy's ears ringing. He threw the gun out of the alleyway and ran off in the other direction, leaving Tommy to face whatever was coming next alone.

The Angel was the first one to appear at the alleyway. He looked like he was ready for a fight, but as soon as his piercing gaze landed on Tommy, he softened his stance and yelled for Captain Puffy. The Angel ran up to Tommy and checked his breathing and pulse. Captain Puffy ran over and sighed, and Niki soon followed behind her.

"God dammit of course it had to be him." The Angel looked at Captain Puffy as she started healing Tommy.

"What do you mean? You know him?" Niki saw Tommy and gasped. She sat beside his head and reached into the backpack she carried for supplies that Captain Puffy's powers didn't provide. Niki pulled out a bottle of water and turned Tommy's head to face her, slowly getting him to drink the water. Tommy's head was pounding, even after Captain Puffy healed him as much as she could.

"Ok so this is bad. Most of his body is severely damaged. I only got him to a stable point but it should be enough that, with a trip to the emergency room he'll have a steady recovery." Tommy caught another glance at The Angel and saw him staring at him. Tommy shook his head as much as he could, which wasn't a lot, before Captain Puffy shushed him quietly.

"It's ok, I'll be right there with you the whole time. We can even have that one guy come in and help you, ok?" Tommy shook his head again and looked up at the sky. Where he saw Ranboo on the roof above them watching the scene. Tommy blinked and the ground beneath him shot up, lifting him up to the roof's height. Ranboo pulled Tommy onto the roof and crumbled the pavement and dirt so it fell on the heroes. The Angel shot up and landed on the roof in front of the two, his wings puffed out threateningly. Tommy didn't have the energy to do anything, he just watched The Angel walk closer and Ranboo walk backwards away from him. Ranboo made a warbling noise and Tommy noticed small purple particles floating to the ground around Ranboo.

"Return him to me. You vigilantes never follow through with the proper health procedures and he needs to give a statement." Ranboo screeched at The Angel and Tommy felt lightheaded. The Angel sighed and Tommy closed his eyes, giving up on trying to stay awake.

Tommy woke up again in a hospital room like the one he saw Themis in. He could only see out of one of his eyes, and his leg was in a cast. Tommy felt very uncomfortable, but he felt like he couldn't move. Tommy looked around and saw Ranboo on a chair tapping his foot against the ground anxiously. Tommy tried calling to him but only managed a quite pathetic sounding whine. It got Ranboo's attention anyways, and the latter was soon at his side.

"No talking, ok? We're at HQ, you're injured beyond Captain Puffy's repair, she said you were almost dead. We're going to be stuck here for a while and they're going to want to ask us questions. Don't worry, I won't leave your side." Tommy couldn't respond to Ranboo if he tried. It was frustrating just laying there completely immobile, but soon enough a doctor walked in. She was holding a clipboard and looked kind.

"Hi, my name's Dr. Rose I'll be your doctor today. To ease any of your concerns, you are entitled to the same patient confidentiality as everyone else on this floor. Your partner here will be helping you with anything that may give away your identity as was his request, but the rest will be me. You've suffered severe burns, smoke inhalation, and a broken leg. The rest was healed by Captain Puffy. I'm going to make the rest of your recovery as smooth as possible." Tommy would have hit Dr. Rose if he could've. Dr. Rose and Ranboo stepped behind the curtain. They were talking in hushed tones and Tommy couldn't tell what they were saying. Ranboo was a big man, he could handle himself. Ranboo's birthday was in two months. Tommy should make him something. The Lost celebration was sometime before that. Within the month definitely. Tommy really needed to land his flying if he was going to perform. Ranboo came back in the room and smiled at Tommy.

"So, they believe that if Captain Puffy heals enough, you can be out of here in a week. Latest you'll be here is two weeks." Tommy smiled and Ranboo sat beside his bed. Ranboo sighed and Themis came in the room looking frantic, followed by The Angel who looked annoyed at Themis.

"Kid! Thank god you're ok I'm so sorry I wasn't there." Tommy stared at Themis confused and looked at The Angel. "Don't worry, he already knows. What happened?" Ranboo moved closer to Tommy and Themis huffed through his nose. It'd have probably been intimidating if it were anyone else, but Tommy thought it was funny.

"He ran into a burning building and saved people while heroes stood around trying to put out the fire. He almost died." Tommy turned his head to Ranboo, albeit painfully. Ranboo sighed and Themis moved closer to the bed. Tommy was tired, and didn't have the energy to deal with those guys. Tommy fell asleep to Ranboo and The Angel bickering.

Over the course of the week Tommy was visited by Halo, The Angel, Hbomb, Awesamdude, Tommy even caught a glance at Insanity. Insanity was so cool but so very terrifying. Tommy didn't fall asleep the night he saw Insanity. Tommy was surprised he didn't see Thanatos. He was glad he didn't see him of course, but still shocked. Tommy slept most of the time, but every time he woke up, without fail he'd see Ranboo next to him. It was nice to know he was never alone.

Captain Puffy walked in the room on the ninth day of Tommy being there. Ranboo regarded her the way he assumed Tommy would, with respect but caution. Captain Puffy didn't seem fully healed and before she could get to Tommy Ranboo stopped her.

"He doesn't want you healing him until you're at full health." Captain Puffy smiled and crossed her arms. Ranboo didn't like how Captain Puffy looked at him, like she was really looking him in the eyes.

"I'm the only healer in a tower of fifteen reckless heroes. I'm never at full health. I should be good enough to fully heal him though." Ranboo knew it wasn't his choice, but he didn't doubt that Captain Puffy was right. He assumed this was the best she word get, and he moved aside to let Captain Puffy to Tommy. She patted Ranboo's shoulder as she walked past and began healing Tommy.

Tommy woke up to The Angel, Halo, and Captain Puffy bickering about who would be interrogating him. Ranboo was sat on his bed next to him watching the three.

"It should be me! I'm the one who works with trauma cases, this is my case." Tommy felt weird. Like he was still in immense pain and he couldn't move, but he felt relatively fine and he could probably move if he wanted to.

"He's a criminal, he's far past your jurisdiction. It's Captain's case, or he can be my case. I'll get far more done than either of you." Tommy sighed and sat up. His limbs ached as he moved, but he managed and even noticed the bandage on his face was gone. Ranboo looked at Tommy and smiled, then turned back around and made a loud chirping noise. The three turned to them and Captain Puffy and Halo smiled.

"I say if we can't come to an agreement, then it's up to the council to decide. Angel, get Wilbur down here." The Angel huffed and walked off, leaving the other four. Captain Puffy sighed and walked closer, sitting on the chair Ranboo had sat on during his stay.

"Don't worry about him, the council won't let him work your case, and you're more likely to get Halo than me. Either way, you'll be safe. It's not an interrogation, it's you giving a statement on what happened." Tommy nodded and looked down at himself. He looked like nothing had happened, except he wasn't in his suit. Tommy was in a white long sleeved shirt way too big for him and black sweatpants that were bunched up so they didn't go past his feet. Decidedly not Tommy's clothes. At least Tommy was still wearing his mask. Didn't exactly matter if they could see every other detail of Tommy's. Tommy reached up and felt fabric where he expected to see hair.

"Yeah, don't worry your hair is covered. They know you're muslim and they completely understand." Tommy stared at Ranboo and sighed, nodding. That was not what he expected, technically Muslim men didn't have to cover their hair but it worked.

The Angel and Wilbur walked in not too long later, and Wilbur walked over to Tommy. Wilbur shook Tommy's hand and smiled at him.

"Hi there, so sorry I haven't come to meet you yet. Things have been a bit hectic without my intern, I swear he's out of here more often than he's in." Tommy smiled nervously and glanced at Ranboo, who looked a bit upset. "He's lucky he's irreplaceable. Anywho, you'll be talking with Halo. We just need to know what you know, and if you'd be so kind you'll be reporting to me every night you're on patrol." Tommy glared at Wilbur and shook his head. He would not be reporting to Wilbur, that'd put him one step closer to being a hero.

"Well, the council wasn't going to put you in our care and let you free without some way to keep you in check. I would personally just let you be off, only for giving Themis something to look forward to. The council doesn't see it like that though and they're the boss. You understand, right?" Tommy huffed and shook his head. Yeah he understood, but no he was not doing it. Wilbur looked a bit defeated but sighed and crossed his arms behind his back.

"Well, if you refuse to cooperate we have no choice but to arrest you. You are a criminal, you don't get much of a choice. You're lucky you've been offered freedom at all." Tommy curled his hands into fists and brought his knees to his chest, resting his chin on his knee and looking away from Wilbur.

"Right, we'll talk again after your time with Halo. I hope he can change your mind." Wilbur walked out of the room, dragging Captain Puffy and The Angel with him. Tommy looked at Halo from the corner of his eyes. Halo was looking at him weirdly. Like he was confused about something and he expected Tommy to explain. Halo soon got over whatever he was thinking about and clapped his hands together.

"Well, that's my cue. I assume you'll want somewhere more private to talk?" Tommy didn't answer Halo, too focused on being mad at Wilbur.

"That'd be preferred." Ranboo answered for Tommy. Halo motioned for them to leave and Ranboo stood up, picking Tommy up in his arms. Tommy freaked out and tried escaping Ranboo's grip. He was on bed rest for way too long, he could walk. He wanted to walk. Ranboo ignored him and followed Halo to the elevator, only flinching slightly when Tommy bit his arm.

"You two have a very odd dynamic, I must admit. He seems to dislike you but he's dependent on you as his voice and safety. I hope it's not too intrusive, but how good of a vigilante is he?" Tommy took his attention away from Ranboo's arm to glare at Halo. He was a damn good vigilante, voice be damned. Ranboo be damned too. Wait, he didn't dislike Ranboo.

"Oh, I'm his favorite. He won't admit it but I know. He's the best of us, especially since he cares so much for West. It really gives him the advantage, knowing a majority of West's population. You should see all the businesses that design their building to make it easier for him to save them."

The elevator door opened and they walked into the interrogation floor. There were two doors on either side of a short hallway, the left side was for Halo, the right for Captain Puffy. Halo led them into his room and sat down on a beanbag in front of a table. Halo's room was for victims, so it was designed to feel relaxing. Ranboo sat on a beanbag opposite Halo and set Tommy down on a spinning chair next to him. Tommy immediately started spinning the chair left and right and Ranboo chuckled at him.

"So, if you could just recount what happened from when you found out about the explosion to waking up in our infirmary, we could have you out of here quick." Tommy pulled his feet onto the chair and rested his arms on his knees. He'd have to alter his voice if he were to talk since he didn't have his voice changer. Or have Ranboo speak for him again. Tommy should learn sign language.

"Oh yeah, you should be all good to talk. I forgot to tell you Captain Puffy finished healing you." Tommy looked at Ranboo and considered hitting him. He didn't care if his voice was fine or not, Tommy needed a voice changer to talk. Ranboo stared back at Tommy and nodded. Tommy sighed, deciding that if anything he'd just have Eret alter Tommy's voice in Halo's memory. Tommy hit the button on his mask and looked at Halo.

"I-" Tommy's voice changer was on. Tommy looked at Ranboo quickly and Ranboo smiled. Tommy smiled slightly and looked back at Halo. "I was on the roof of That Noodle Shop doing my normal surveillance when the theater exploded and blew me off the roof. I got my footing and ran over. The whole building was destroyed and the buildings next to it wasn't in good condition. We figured nobody inside the theater would be alive so me and him took one of the side buildings, and when I got everyone out of my building the heroes had congregated at the front of the theater."

Tommy could have left the mention of heroes at that. He should have left it at that. But seeing Halo sat across from him, writing down his statement and looking at him like it was just another day. Tommy was angry at the heroes, Halo included. It wouldn't be fair to be mad at Themis, but he was. He was mad at all of them for not trying to save his people.

"They were just standing around doing nothing, and some girl was trying to convince a couple of officers that there were people in the theater but they didn't listen. The heroes were useless. I had to go in the theater and save the innocent people alone." Tommy felt his anger rise, and curled his hands into fists. "There were three people alive in there according to her. Two were stuck under rubble. I didn't find the third. I blacked out and woke up here."

Ranboo looked at Tommy confused, and Halo looked at Tommy in remorse. Tommy didn't look at either of them. He hated heroes. Stupid heroes who thought they were so much better than him just because they were better trained. If they were so we'll trained then why didn't they save his people? Was West that unimportant to them that they didn't think it necessary to try and help him?

Eret looked up at HQ. He looked back down at his watch, and at the distress signal showing the coordinates. Eret clicked his tongue, shook his head, and walked away from the tall building. "Yeah fuck that."