Part II: Catharsis

Navigating the strange dimension was a struggle, as each platform and object floating about had its own gravitational pull, some stronger than others. Gumball hopped from platform to platform, sometimes with ease and other times not so much. He called Rob's name until his throat was nearly raw, but his calls always went unanswered. "Darn it, Rob…I know you're here. You have to be," he whispered to himself, though his words held little confidence. He clung to every sliver of hope he had, but the fear that this was all for nothing and that he had sent himself on a wild goose chase remained a prominent thought in his mind. The fact that this place seemed to go on forever didn't help matters, either.

It was quite unsettling how familiar this place felt. There was a wide array of objects floating about in the strange, static abyss, most of which he paid no mind to. However, as he ventured further into the bleak dimension, his eyes caught sight of what looked to be a small house anchored to a grassy platform hovering in the distance. Assuming the little house was completely furnished, he couldn't imagine why Rob wouldn't take refuge there if he had the opportunity to. It was the closest thing to a creature comfort one could find in such a dismal place.

The feline wasted no time, hopping across platforms and random objects until he landed in front of his destination, stumbling forward a few steps before catching himself on the mailbox. He took a moment to catch his breath before slowly making his way up the front steps of the house, hearing the wood planks creak beneath his feet. Stepping onto the porch, he immediately made his way over to the large living room window to peer inside but quickly found his view to be obstructed by the curtains. He then made his way to the far right side of the porch where the front door was situated. He saw that the entrance had a retractable screen door in front of the main door, which just happened to be open. Curious, Gumball pressed his paws and nose against the screen as he peered inside the darkened living room. "Hello?" he called, not surprised when he was met with silence. With a shaky paw, he grabbed the handle of the door and pulled it open, wincing as it creaked loudly. Stepping inside, he held his paw against the door as he allowed it to gently close behind him with a soft clack.

Once inside, he could see that the layout of the house was almost identical to his own, with the kitchen located straight ahead at the back of the house and a small set of stairs right in front of the door. The house was so deathly silent that the boy felt doubtful that anyone was still hanging around, but he knew he'd have to check the upstairs first before moving on. His eyes scanned every inch of the room, feeling unsettled when he noticed things like a half-empty glass of tea sitting on the end table by the couch, or a few crinkled magazines on the coffee table. There had once been life in this house, and it was clear it had been very abruptly interrupted.

It felt wrong to be here. This was someone else's home, after all, and he had just walked in, uninvited. Nothing was out of the ordinary about this house, which was what made it so chilling to him. The kitchen was even more unsettling, as it appeared to be suspended in time. He noticed a soiled plate still situated on the round dining table, along with a half-empty glass of orange juice. Weekly circulars were scattered across the table, a small calculator placed on top of a gutted coupon insert. It was all so surreal; he kept expecting someone to just walk back into the kitchen at any moment to finish whatever they had been doing, though not before reprimanding him for breaking and entering.

The cat finally made his way back into the living area and started making his way up the stairs, one slow, nervous step at a time. Making a right turn at the top of the stairs, he found himself standing in the doorway of what he guessed was the master bedroom, though it was quite small. He hesitated before stepping inside, as now the feeling of invasiveness was stronger than ever. He walked around the bed, which he saw was unmade and had been the final resting place for a pair of discarded pajamas. He briefly scanned the nightstand, finding a half-empty glass of water and a few pieces of jewelry laying on top of a heavily-used novel. On the other side of that novel, he noticed a small, narrow notepad, with a few words scribbled in messy black ink. Unable to ignore his curiosity, he picked it up and held it close to his face to read.

Weekend To-do list:

Cancel the cable

Schedule a plumber to come and fix leak

Return blouse to the store

Pick up Rob's birthday present

Gumball froze, his grip on the notepad tightening. He reread the last line over and over again until he thought he might go cross-eyed.

Rob? The Rob? His Rob?

He nearly fumbled the notepad as he went to place it back on the nightstand. He backed up a few steps before turning on his heel and scurrying out of the room, his search suddenly validated with the discovery of this new clue.

As he left the bedroom, he knew he'd have to search every room of the little house before he could continue on, and there wasn't much left of the house to search. A quick peak into the bathroom as he walked towards the opposite end of the hall revealed nothing. Only one room remained now, which he assumed would be Rob's bedroom if this really was his house.

He made his way to the other end of the hall and abruptly stopped before the last remaining door, his paw lifting to hover near the doorknob. Seeing that the door was slightly ajar, he instead placed his hand against it to push it open as he held his breath.

A feeling of relief like he had never felt before came over him when he saw the subject of his search right in front of him, lying lifelessly on the bed with his arms wrapped around himself. Gumball's face split into a huge smile and he felt the sudden urge to shout the other boy's name with glee, but that enthusiasm died almost as soon as it had come when he took in the sight of him. Seeing how still the boy was, Gumball felt his heart flutter with the fear that he might not be alive. He never even stopped to think if someone needed to eat in a place like this, and if they did, had there been enough nonperishable food left over in the house for the teen to live off of?

Swallowing nervously, Gumball quietly eased his way into the bedroom, his legs trembling with each step. He managed to approach the bed without making a sound, his breath hitching as he leaned over to get a look at the boy's face. He saw that his eye was closed, and he couldn't really tell if he was breathing or not. His heart sank.

Reaching out a shaky hand, Gumball gently placed it to the teen's shoulder to lightly shake him. "Rob?" he called to him softly, his voice a soft, anguished crack as he tried to mentally prepare himself for the tragic possibility that the boy was dead.

His fears immediately subsided and he let out the smallest breath of relief as he saw the boy's eye slowly flutter open. He tried to force a smile as he noticed him glance up at him, but it quickly faded as the teen's single eye darkened upon seeing his face.

"What are you doing here?" he growled hoarsely as he slowly rose into a sitting position. Gumball noticed him clutching something in his hand, but it was a brief observation, one which was immediately forgotten as the teen glared at him threateningly.

The feline stumbled back a few steps, his hands raised defensively as his entire body shook. Though he was relived to see Rob alive and in the flesh, he knew he had earned the teen's ire. He had known going in that Rob wouldn't be pleased to see him, and now he found himself struggling to make a case for his presence. He knew an apology would be the first order of business, but there was little reason to believe Rob would accept it.

"I…I came to find you. I was worried when I didn't see you after…well, you know," Gumball answered calmly.

The cyclops laughed sardonically. "What did you expect? You erased me from existence, Gumball. Is that not what you wanted?" he hissed disdainfully, his hands curling into tight fists.

Gumball took a chance and approached him again. "N-No…I…Look, Rob, I didn't-" The cat took a step back again as he noticed Rob abruptly swing his legs over the side of the bed, his glare deepening as he rose to his feet.

"You…You erased me!" he shouted as he came to tower over the blue feline. "You erased me like I didn't even MATTER!" Rob moved before he could even blink, shoving the smaller boy roughly with both hands.

Gumball stumbled a few steps but managed to keep himself from falling over onto his rear. He straightened up again as he fixed his face with a glare, his guilt momentarily sidelined by his own anger. He knew what he did was wrong, but Rob was hardly innocent. Apparently, he needed to be reminded of that fact.

"You tried to KILL US!" the cat shouted back as he returned the shove with equal force, knocking the slender teen off his feet and causing him to fall back onto the bed with a grunt. "You kidnapped Joe's mom and you attacked us!" he added with more assertion. "Not that I should expect anything less from my sworn enemy, 'cause I know you gotta do your villain thing and all, but still…not cool, man." The cat crossed his arms, crinkling his nose angrily as he waited for Rob's response.

The cyclops' face twisted into a scowl as he tried to prepare a proper retort, but Gumball was quite surprised to see his shoulders slump in defeat within seconds and his single eye fall to the floor. "Yeah," was all he said as he pulled his legs back onto the bed and turned away, looking almost…guilty? This left the cat feeling incredibly awkward.

"Look…" Gumball cautiously approached the boy again, who was now staring ahead at the wall as though it was the most interesting thing in the room. "Even though you tried to hurt us, we shouldn't have done what we did. I just…reacted, okay? We panicked!"

Rob pulled his legs to his chest and drew his arms upward to fold them over his knees, turning his head to rest his cheek against them. "It doesn't matter. This is where I'm meant to be," he murmured.

Gumball blinked momentarily, leaning in to rest his hands on the edge of the bed. "You don't get it. I had Banana Barbara paint you back into existence, but…you never showed up. I found this place by accident and I-" His words were cut off by another hollow laugh.

"I don't get it? No…No, Gumball…you don't get it. None of you understand what any of this means. Not that it matters. There's nothing you can do to stop it." The cyclops stiffened slightly, his singular brow furrowing heavily. "Wait…" He looked up at Gumball again. "How long have I been gone?"

"Um…it's been about six days."

Rob glanced down again as he digested that piece of information. "That's all it's been? Only six days?" he questioned softly. "It feels like it's been weeks."

The cat was ready to fire off another question, but his eyes drifted away from the cyclops as he noticed the item he had been clutching earlier laying on the bed by his feet, momentarily forgotten. He slid his hand across the navy blue comforter to retrieve it, pulling it back quickly as he noticed Rob appeared ready to protest. With a look of defeat, the teen simply buried his face in his arms, saying nothing.

Frowning, Gumball looked down at the item in his hands, having already distinguished that it was a photograph. He saw a young boy, about twelve or so, and a woman he presumed to be his mother happily sitting on the front steps of the house they were currently standing in. The child was all smiles as he sat there nestled against his mother's chest, beaming brightly as she had her arms wrapped tightly around his neck and her chin resting atop his head, her single purple eye focused down on him instead of on the camera.

Gumball stared at the photo for the longest time, feeling his stomach twisting into a painful knot. "Is…Is this…you?"

Rob slowly lifted his head, his eye noticeably glassy. "Yes."

"And your…your mom," Gumball uttered the last word in a whisper, his shoulders feeling unbearably heavy. "Wait…y-you said you didn't have a mom."

Rob looked elsewhere. "As far as I knew, I didn't. I couldn't remember anything from my past, including my family. I had no recollection of my mother when I first left this place. My memories are fragmented and distorted, but sometimes I'd dream about things from my old life…including her." The boy looked up, surveying the small bedroom and everything that resided in it. "When I came back here, I got a better sense of who I really was…who I used to be."

Gumball followed the boy's gaze, turning counter-clockwise as he took in every knick-knack and personal item that decorated the tiny space. Clothes, photos, floating shelves with little trinkets, books, small figurines of characters from popular TV shows, and all sorts of various things that represented Rob and his life occupied this space. He took a slow step towards the little desk that sat off to the right of the bed, noticing an open box of candy and a soda cup that had both come from the movie theater. Beside these items sat an open sketchpad and a few markers laying across the scribbled pages. They were such simple items, and yet they were all so overwhelming to see. For the first time since he had found the young cyclops in his basement, he was only now able to see him for what he really was: a child. He was just a boy who had lived a normal life and had a loving family just like him, and in the blink of an eye, for reasons he couldn't comprehend, it had all been ripped away.

And then it was like a switch had been flipped.

"W-Wait…" Gumball furrowed his brows as he held the photo closer to his face for a second look. "Dude, I…I remember you." He looked up sharply to meet the other boy's gaze with eyes the size of saucers, momentarily forgetting to breathe. "You went to school with us. You were the one we…um...pushed into a manhole," he finished with a wince, not at all surprised by the displeased look that suddenly crossed the older boy's face. "The party at Tobias' house…you were there!" He looked between the boy in the picture and the present version sitting before him, completely horrified. His world was spinning now. "How…?"

Rob narrowed his eye. "I've been here before, Gumball. I was a mistake, as I've told you. I was thrown away like trash, forgotten by the rest of the world because I was deemed not important enough to be a part of it. But I had a chance to escape when you came. You were here looking for Molly. You, Darwin and Mr. Small. I called out to you as loud as I could, but you never acknowledged me." Seeing the cat preparing a defense, Rob quickly shot up a hand to silence him. "Don't," he growled. "I had one chance to escape…so I clung to the back of Mr. Small's van for dear life as you fled." Rob gestured to himself with a resentful grimace. "So this is what's left of me. My body was torn apart and left in this hideous state as a cost for escaping. You might not remember, but I do. I will never forget it."

Gumball lowered his head slowly, suddenly feeling incredibly small. As he replayed the details of Rob's story in his mind, he suddenly felt overwhelmed as yet another light went off in his head. "No…No, I do remember now." He looked up sharply, turning his gaze towards the window just above the teen's bed. "I knew this place seemed familiar!" He glanced back down at the boy situated on the bed, his frown deepening. "But…I don't remember seeing you," he admitted guiltily, prompting Rob to avoid his gaze again. The feline slowly approached him, his jaw trembling. "Look…Rob, I-"

"Give it back," Rob cut him off, holding out his hand without looking at the boy. There was a noticeable crack in his voice as he demanded the photo back.

Gumball didn't argue, slowly handing it over with an apologetic expression. As the other boy stared down at the photo longingly, Gumball cautiously hoisted himself up onto the bed, fully expecting to be violently kicked off by the cyclops, but he never tore his eye away from the photo in his trembling hands. "Listen, I…I'm sorry…for everything. I know you hate me, and I'm the last person you want to see right now, but…I didn't…" The cat sighed in frustration, completely at a loss for words. There would never be anything he could say to the boy to make it right. "I know this means nothing for you to hear, but…I wouldn't have ignored you on purpose!"

Rob grit his teeth, knowing what the feline said was the truth. He wanted so desperately to hold on to his anger, as it had always been the one thing that had kept him going, but where had it even gotten him? What had he accomplished?

Silently staring down at the photo, a sickening feeling grew and intensified in the pit of his stomach. "I don't…" He exhaled slowly as he blinked away tears, desperately holding on to his composure. "I can't remember what her voice sounds like anymore."

Gumball winced, those words cutting through him like a knife. The urge to comfort the other boy was almost unbearable now.

Rob slowly turned to him. "What would she think of me if she saw me now?" He let the question hang in the air before finally glancing down shamefully. "Look at what I've become…everything I've done. She'd never look at me again. She'd probably disown me."

Gumball quickly shook his head, scooting closer to the teen. "N-No, man…she wouldn't. You don't really believe that. I mean…look for yourself," he stated confidently as he indicated to the photo in the cyclops' hands. "She loved you!" He took his chances and placed a hand against Rob's shoulder, praying he wouldn't push him away. "Nothing would ever change that." There was a sudden urge to inquire about his mother's whereabouts, but he ultimately decided against it, as it was obvious he didn't know and it would only bring him more pain if he asked.

He felt the boy's shoulder quiver beneath his hand and he instinctively squeezed it to reassure him. He watched, pained and guilt-ridden as the other boy clutched the photo to his chest as heavy sobs wracked his body. To heck with it. He threw caution to the wind and moved to embrace the boy, resting his cheek against his head. "I know I can't make it right," he whispered to him. He felt both relieved and heartbroken as the other boy turned towards him, pushing further into his embrace as he cried. "And saying 'I'm sorry' will never be enough, even though I am. More than anything," he added with conviction as he fought the urge to cry with him. He said nothing more after that, letting Rob cry to his heart's content. He felt more determined than ever to get him out of here. What this would mean for their relationship afterward remained to be seen, but he hardly cared at the moment. Rob could go on hating him forever for all he cared. He couldn't say he didn't deserve it. Right now he just wanted him to be safe.

Dark shadows moved across the walls, which prompted Gumball to glance over the top of Rob's head at the adjacent window. Platforms and various, long-forgotten objects floated along aimlessly, casting dark shadows over the little house as they drifted by. Gumball couldn't help but shudder, unable to fathom being trapped in such a miserable place, forgotten and alone. How could anyone keep their sanity here?

Gradually, Rob's sobs quieted to soft whimpers and sniffles, and he eventually pulled away from the cat's embrace, momentarily turning his head away in slight embarrassment. "S-Sorry," he murmured.

"Don't be."

Long gone was the anger, and in its place came the self-loathing. "No…I should be." Rob exhaled deeply, wiping his eye with the heel of his palm. Gumball opened his mouth but quickly shut it again, giving him a moment to collect his thoughts, as it was clear to see he had quite a lot to unload. "Why should you get to hog all the guilt?" he quipped lightly as his mouth lifted into the tiniest of smirks. "What I did…it can't compare. It can't compare because my actions were deliberate. I tried to hurt you, and I tried to…" his words stalled on his tongue as he remembered Gumball had no recollection of the events with the universal remote. "I lost sight of everything. I thought making you suffer would amend for the suffering I had endured, but I wasn't me anymore."

Rob narrowed his eye as he lifted his arms to observe himself. "My mind became as broken as my body…and I have only myself to blame." The boy shuddered, his hands tightening into fists. "I belong here."

A small hand gripped his arm tightly and he nearly jumped.

"No, you don't," Gumball countered firmly. "No one deserves this."

Rob scoffed, pulling his arm from his grip. "You shouldn't have come here. It wouldn't have mattered, anyway."

"UGH! Stop saying everything doesn't matter! Of course it matters!" the cat snapped. He sighed for what had to be the umpteenth time, his hand itching to reach out to the teen again. "Why the guilt all of a sudden?" he asked seriously, noticing the other boy's jaw visibly clench.

Rob turned away from the cat to gaze out the window. "Even though it feels like it's been so much longer, six days is still a long time to be alone with your thoughts. All you can do is think in a place like this, and after everything that's happened between us…well…there's a lot to think about, you know. I had plenty of time to reevaluate myself and the choices I made that led me here."

"Do you…feel better after having thought it all through?" the feline asked hopefully.

The cyclops snorted bitterly. "Far from it. I feel worse than ever."

Noticing the crestfallen look on the cat's face, Rob sighed, deciding to momentarily change the subject, as there was something he had wanted to confront the younger boy about since he had first made the shocking discovery.

"You said you had Barbara paint me back into existence."

"Yeah?"

Gumball frowned as the taller boy shot him a glare. He watched curiously as he shifted himself, leaning to the side to lift his rear off the bed.

"So you wanna explain this?" the teen snapped as he revealed the little squiggly pink tail protruding from his shorts.

Gumball immediately slapped a paw over his mouth as he fought back a fit of giggles. "Oh man," he snorted. "I forgot all about that!" Seeing the other boy's glare harden, Gumball quickly lifted his hands in a placating manner. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" he laughed. "I know I shouldn't have, but I just couldn't resist!" Unable to control himself, he reached out to grab the end of the tail between his fingers, pulling it until it uncoiled and then letting it go to retract back to its original shape.

"Stop!" Rob growled as he swatted the boy's hand away, who only laughed harder.

Wiping away a tear, the cat smiled apologetically. "Look, I promise I'll have Barbara fix it when we get back!" Gumball slowly scooted off the bed. "C'mon…let's get you out of here," he said as he started making his way for the door. He paused in the doorway when he saw that Rob still remained situated on the bed, showing no indication that he was prepared to leave. "Uhh…this is the part where you're supposed to start following me."

Still, the teen made no effort to move.

"Dude, come on! What're you waiting for?"

Rob slowly shook his head, his attention elsewhere. "You still don't get it. I can't leave. This is where I'm meant to be," he repeated.

The warmth immediately left the feline's eyes as he swiftly moved back into the room, his gaze confrontational. "Dude, I came here to get you out, and I'm not leaving without you! I'm not making the same mistake twice!" he said with unwavering determination.

There was an uncomfortable pause before Rob finally moved, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed and placing his feet on the floor. Gumball took a step back, partially turning towards the door, as he assumed Rob was going to follow him this time, but his expression remained somber. "It's all a lie," the older boy finally said after a painfully long silence.

Gumball's ears flattened. "What…?"

The teen grimaced, as though in pain. "None of this is real."


Author's Note: Okay, so...I made a bit of a change here. This chapter originally wasn't supposed to end here. It was originally going to be much longer, but after the chapter surpassed 7,000 words, I started considering splitting it in half, because I'm not a big fan of posting super long chapters, as it gets pretty overwhelming for me when it comes time to start proofreading and making the final tweaks. The longer the chapter, the harder it gets for me to spot things.

And I apologize that it's taken more than 2 weeks to get this next update out. I know it doesn't seem like such a long time, but i had honestly hoped to get it out sooner than this, but I just was never satisfied with the chapter and I just kept adding and adding to it, which is another reason I felt compelled to split it in half. And I'm afraid the emotional rollercoaster doesn't end here so I guess it's probably better to end the chapter here and give everyone's heart a break XD