Oh mai... This is new...

(Hey guys.)

(Hmm...I'm not even close to caught up soo...)

"He stopped by while you were sleeping. He had some electrical burns and looked exhausted, but he's in one piece," Ruth assured him, while Laura closed her eyes and just laid there on Roy. The mouse smiled a bit sadly, "I imagine this was hard on him, too... He knew the Sect better than anyone, aside from Julianne herself." The young cat had once been a friend to Julianne, had been captured several times, and one of his brothers ended up working there and trying to kidnap him on several occasions... Speaking of which, Ruth hadn't seen the eldest of the Wycliffs at all. Perhaps he had been killed in the attack... She shook her head. It might be for the best.

----

Speaking of EJ, he was curled up on the couch with Rachel at the moment. He held onto her as she fell asleep, and he had his eyes closed, but he was still awake... Deep in thought. Tired, miserable, but deep in thought.

----

Shay's arms tightened around Alpha's chest when he started squirming, as though wanting to hold him there whether he liked it or not. The bat groaned in his sleep again, one of his wings lifting off of Alpha and flapping a few times before folding up against his back; those things were sensitive, and having them poked at wasn't a very welcome sensation. Shay buried his face against the back of Alpha's neck, exhaling heavily as he flopped one long, lanky leg over the griffin, hooking his knee around him. He was essentially acting like Alpha was a living hug pillow.

The young eighteen-year-old had some clinging problems, due to emotional neglect for most of his life, and it seemed his older companion was going to be his outlet whether he was aware of it or not. He was holding on to the collar of Alpha's shirt now with one hand, his fingers hooked inside the shirt just below the griffin's throat, while his other hand clutched at a handful of the fabric at his chest. It was an oddly desperate gesture for someone who was peacefully sleeping and apparently quite content, judging by his very faint purring. He made a little whining noise as he settled down, though he still held tightly onto Alpha as though for dear life.

(Hey Chirpy ^^)

(Hai. owo)

Roy was relieved to hear that EJ was okay (the electrical burns worried him, but they would eventually heal), and felt some worry lift off his bony shoulders. The bat fixed his arms around Laura, letting her lay on his side (the not injured one), and sighed a little, "I know... And I would really like to not zink about eet right now..." It was over now... But not the memories of the horror they all witnessed. Roy reached up to brush his hair out of his face, now just remembering about his wing... "'E's goeeng to keell me when 'e 'ears about my weeng..." Well, his leg was still in one piece, so that was good. 

---

Rachel's chest rose and fell faintly as she breathed, her breath stirring EJ's fur a little on his neck. Her wings curled around her slightly, like a second set of blankets. The bat's hand had a fistful of her boyfriend's shirt, as if he would suddenly disappear in her sleep. 

---

Alpha swallowed, Shay's fingers too close to his neck for comfort, even though it wasn't really doing anything. The griffin still kind of freaked out inwardly as he tried to wiggle his way out of Shay's grip, even though Alpha didn't have the heart to wake him up, Shit... Why the hell is he so clingy? Having no idea about his past, the griffin almost held his breath as he tried to push against the bat's hands to break free. 

(Rp?)

(Roy, I swear to GOD, if you play Bleeding Out by Imagine Dragons ONE MORE TIME when I have a bloody nose, I'm going to give YOU one.

Roy: XP)

(We'll need to find our last post, Sil. o3o"

ROY STAHP TROLLING BLUEH! XD)

"I'm sure he'll get over it," Ruth said, and smiled a bit again, "He's just happy you're alive and decently well. You'll see for yourself once he gets down here." She petted Roy's head a bit, helping him with his messy hair. "Do you want me to bring you a hair tie?"

---

Shay's contentment vanished as Alpha tried again to pull away. He let out a little cry, almost as though the griffin had just hurt him in some manner, and let go of him as he pushed his hands away. He then tucked his arms between himself and Alpha's back, still trying to keep close to him, while his wings wrapped around his thin body like he was hugging or comforting himself. His ears were flat to his head, and he couldn't seem to stop quivering, as though Alpha's absence was breaking his heart into a million pieces but he was silently enduring it.

(Should we just start over because I can't find it ^^' Maybe some Pipase?)

(Roy: Whaht? Eet's funny!

Not when I'm gushing blood. >81

Roy: Well, now you know 'ow I feel! >8[ )

"Yes, please..." Roy admitted with a slight nod-- it was kind of gross, and it would keep it out of his face until he could have a shower... It was also getting almost too long for his liking, with a lot of split ends. He tried not to think about getting it cut.

---

Alpha sat up and stared at Shay, feeling awful for doing that... The griffin felt awkward, but ended up giving in away as he lied down again and wrapped his arms around the bat. It's okay... It's okay... He reached up and gently petted his ears again.

(I guess so, Sil. o3o Should I start?)

Ruth stepped out of the room for a few moments to hunt down some hair ties, and returned with a few. She set all but one on a little table by the bed, and handed the remaining hair tie to Roy. "Do you need any help with it?" Roy still had IVs in one arm, and was holding onto Laura.

----

Shay had started crying in his sleep as Alpha wrapped his arms around him, already starting to wake up from the misery that haunted him in his sleep. He huddled against Alpha, holding onto handfuls of his shirt and gritting his teeth. He slowly woke up as he broke down, and opened his dark eyes after a few moments, their deep brown depths filled with loneliness as tears ran down his face. He seemed startled to find himself face-to-face with Alpha, but made no move to pull away. He just wrapped his arms around him and pressed his head down on his shoulder, sniffling and hiding his face. He didn't know that he had been acting out during his dreaming, but he might actually not have cared, either. His chest ached with the weight of how alone he felt, and he pleaded in a voice devoid of his usual grouchiness or sarcasm, "I-It's okay... it's okay t-to t-tell me th-that you love me, i-if you do... C-cause I w-would l-like to h-hear it..."

It didn't matter where the love came from right now. Shay was tired of feeling like nobody truly knew or cared for him... his parents, his friends, the Devas... He was tired of feeling like he shouldn't be there with them, like nobody cared if he would be gone. Somehow, Alpha had wormed his way into his life despite how abrasive and argumentative Shay was. If anyone could say the right things to him, and maybe make him feel like he was cared for... maybe it was the griffin.

(*throws giant ball of feels at everyone* I don't now, I just remembered really feelsy moments with Shay's original self, the human one, and they were sort of like this. He's got this fear of being unloved and alone, because he can't seem to help but push everyone away. ;A; ... So his loneliness invades his sleeping habits until he dreams about being forever alone, but he wakes up and Alpha is right there in his face. And hence all the "do I matter" questions.)

"Yes, please..." Roy admitted-- as much as he hated it when people really touched his hair, he couldn't really do it well right now. The bat gave a little half-smile, "I apologize een advance about my 'air... Eet feels really gross."

---

(Aw, baby, no...omo... *dies* Alpha will give you love if you ask... He will.)

Alpha held onto Shay a little tighter, and continued to pet his head in a calming and kind of loving manner. The griffin's voice was soft as he said, "Yes, I do love you, Shay... I'm sorry. I didn't know..." Well, now he knew he would never do it again. Ever. "It's okay..."

(Yes please ^^')

"We'll get you cleaned up soon," Ruth assured him, chuckling. She helped out his hair back in a ponytail, making sure it was held back out of his face for the most part.

----

Shay drew in shuddering breaths, trying to explain what Alpha didn't know. "I-I'm just... terrified that since they don't need me anymore, I-I'll just be forgotten again... A-and I don't want to be alone again..." He was a healer because he was needed and appreciated, but now that society would rebuild, he couldn't be a doctor right away anymore. He was eighteen without a degree of any kind. He suddenly wasn't needed. He could just be forgotten. There was no other reason to keep him around. The bat tried to focus on breathing evenly, reassuring himself that at least one person wanted to keep him around...

Roy felt a little better when it was out of his face, "Zank you, Ruz... Again." The bat then shifted around a bit, trying to get comfortable while Laura rested against him. She seemed to be dozing off a little, as he breathing slowed down quite a bit. He brushed some of her hair out of her face in a loving manner, his hands gentle.

---

(Can you imagine Alpha and Shay going through medical school or something? I don't even think Alpha has his full degree like at all.)

"What do you mean...? No one is going to forget you." Alpha said, still holding onto Shay and trying to give him as much reassurance as he possibly could. "I don't know why you would think that..." Wasn't he abandoned or something before he met the Derings and Scotty?

"It's no trouble... that's what I'm here for," Ruth assured him, "Just let me know if there's anything else you need."

Laura was out cold, apparently tired out after her few minutes of wakefulness. She stirred a little when Roy moved her hair out of her face, but didn't open her eyes, just breathing loudly through her mouth like she always did when sleeping.

---

(Oh gosh... Shay going through school. The professors would all fear him instead of the other way around. XD)

"B-but it's happened... before..." Shay hid his face against Alpha's shoulder, holding onto him tightly. He sniffled, but he was calming down a little, at least. Feeling tired all over again, he just focused on breathing as he allowed himself to take in the reassurance Alpha offered.

---

Meanwhile, Chase was still with Sasha at the infirmary. He wanted to see Pippa, but didn't want to leave his sister... Torn, the canine heaved a sigh, fiddling with his sister's fingers as he held her hand. She was sleeping, more likely due to the medication she was given than actual fatigue.

"Okay... I weell. I don't zink I need anyzing right at zis moment... Besides kind of wanteeng to get up..." He felt a little antsy, and wanted to get up and move around a bit, but that probably wasn't a good idea right now. But it wasn't like the last time he was in the infirmary, where he couldn't walk at all, even if he wanted to.

---

(Yeah... XD And Alpha would try to get him to behave. XD)

"Shay, it does not mean it will happen again..." Alpha rested his hand against the back of Shay's head, almost cradling him to his shoulder. "You must stay positive... Even though it can be hard sometimes."

Jonah had been quite busy, gathering up groceries and such to throw this dinner together. At the moment he was prepping the grill...tonight felt like a steak night...

~

Zero patted his son's head, "I can't wait to get outta here...get this one raised properly..."

He looked up at Evey, "See you in a white dress..."-he paused then added, "And me Umbra and Lance in tuxes."

He chuckled a bit, face turning a pale red.

(bbl)

Pippa had only now just heard what happened to both Sasha and Roy. She figured that she should check on Sasha first to see if Chase was there and to see if Sasha would be ok or if she wasn't then she would comfort Chase. When she came into the room she was out of breath, she had ran all the way there. "I-is she going to be ok?" she asked and moved her hair out of her face.

(o3o? Steak?

Roy: You ZHUST ate.

Don't care. Steak. ouo

Pluto, are you referencing Roxy and Jonah's date night? o3o?)

(Yes I am. eue

Jonah: o//o" )

(e3e

Roxy: o////o")

"Jonah...?" Roxy poked her head into the kitchen, after smelling something really good being cooked, "What are you doing...?"

(I'm supposed to leave for my friend's house soon... I'm gonna be there for a week with her and some people I don't know. I'm starting to feel all queasy and like I don't wanna go. ;~; ... I'll miss my house, and my bed, and my parents, and my cats...)

"That's not a good idea," Ruth spoke his thoughts, shaking his head. "You're staying right there in that bed until I give you the okay, got it?" She gave him one of her stern looks, pointing one finger at him.

---

(Hahaha, Shay isn't good at behaving. XD)

It's happened again and again and again... I'm just not someone people love or care about... Shay didn't voice his doubts, instead just focusing on the fact that one person did love him. He had been confused about it last night, but was less so now. The bat nuzzled his face against Alpha's shoulder for a moment, letting him hold his head there before slowly lifting it again so he could look at the griffin. He wiped at his face with one hand, embarrassed, and finally spoke again, "I-I know... thanks..."

---

Chase looked up when Pippa came rushing in, his eyes wide, but then he calmed down and nodded, "Yes, she's just out because of the stuff they gave her... they couldn't really fix her up while she was still awake and kicking. Literally, kicking." He was a bit battered himself, but hadn't taken a direct shot like Sasha had.

---

Evey smiled, her ears turning pink. "It'll be nice." She tiredly rested there beside him, admitting, "As exciting as this is, I'm tired... Those cyborgs are tougher than they look. And they look pretty damn tough."

"Making dinner." he said smiling, "Um...how do you take your steak?"

(Jonah: >////< )

~

"Obviously they weren't tough enough to take out my Evey." he replied sitting up, gritting his teeth from some residual pain and spread his arms, "C'mere you..."

He was genuinely happy for once.