A/N: Instant cliffhanger conclusion. :)


Chapter XI

Surely he hadn't...not just for the sake of the hat, surely...

Yakko blinked, as if it would make Wakko appear out of nowhere.

"Come on, kid! You haven't got long!"

"I can't! Wakko's not here!"

"What?!"

"He was going on about his hat...I...I've got to get to him!"

Ignoring the shouts from outside the window, Yakko headed for the bedroom door. It was slightly ajar; he kicked it the rest of the way open. The force of the heat threw him backwards. The room was not a complete inferno, not yet, but the fire was travelling too quickly for his liking, along the curtains, creeping down to the wooden floor...

"Wakko!"

His brother was in sight, still standing thank goodness, his hat already on his head. Why was he just standing there? Yakko crossed the room in an instant and yanked on Wakko's arm, a little harder than he meant to.

"Don't EVER do that to me again!" His voice was a cross between relief and anger. "You've got the darn hat, why are you still here?"

He saw the drawer Wakko was fiddling with. His younger brother looked up at him, his eyes streaming with a mixture of tears and water from the smoke.

"It's...it's our family album...I was trying to get it...but it's stuck."

They tried again but the old book was well and truly wedged in the drawer. The glass in the window shattered in the heat, and they took a step back. Yakko glanced toward the bedroom door; the fire was spreading quickly and would soon close off their only exit. With a cross between desperation and temper, Yakko gave the leather-bound book a furious tug, and by some miracle it came away.

The things he did for his sibs.

Yakko grabbed Wakko's hand and they flew to the door, charging through just as the flames began to lick their way up the door frame.

Yakko pushed his brother out the window ahead of him; they slid down the drainpipe and were almost crushed by Dot and Baxter. The old stoat squeezed their shoulders.

"You're trying to finish me off, aren't you?" He laughed shakily. "Come across to my house. We can wait there. I'll get you something to drink." *

The adrenaline from the flight to save his siblings was rapidly disappearing; Yakko wasn't sure if he was going to faint or throw up. He felt an arm round his shoulders.

"Come on kid. Let's get some sugar in you."

"Not so fast, toons..."

They all turned to come face to face with a small group of people. They were not all youths, as one might expect, but a range of different ages, some wearing balaclavas or even those funny old-fashioned eye masks that ladies used to wear to formal dances.

Baxter's grip on Yakko tightened.

"Anti-Toons..."

They all took an involuntary step backwards, though the group were already moving forward, closing the gap between them Baxter whispered in Yakko's ear.

"Be ready to run when I say so."

"Bax?"

The old stoat gave Yakko a mighty shove, sending him sprawling, Wakko and Dot clinging to his hands.

"Run, kids! Run!"

Run they did; the group weren't expecting the sudden division, and although they reacted smoothly and quickly it bought the Warners precious seconds as the group split with one half taking off after Baxter, the other after them.

There wasn't quite enough time for their toon abilities to kick in, and as they reached the main road the three group members who were after them were hot on their heels. To Yakko's surprise they didn't jump them from behind, instead they kept on running until they were neck and neck with the Warners. The person in the eye-mask reached into a pocket and pulled something out.

A gun?

It wasn't a gun. It wasn't the right shape. It was sort of round, and made of rubber, almost like a small balloon.

The person paused, drew his arm back, and aimed the object straight at Wakko.

The world went into slow motion for Yakko. He gave his brother a shove, diving in front of him just in time. Whatever the thing was, it suddenly burst over the front of his shirt. He saw a flash of colour – weird, sickly green – before doubling up in agony.

"Yakko!"

He heard the frightened cries of his siblings as he fought against the pain. He drew back his hand and was shocked to see it was covered in blood.**

What the hell did he just hit me with?

Yakko and Dot were talking, trying to keep him awake as they took off towards the road, half carrying their injured brother. A car skidded to a halt at the lights, and the driver door swung open.

"YOU!" The voice was enough to temporarily startle the gang, who hadn't expected to find confrontation in the early hours of the morning.

"Leave zose kidzes alone!"

"Scratchy!"

Wakko shouted the two syllable name with mix of relief and desperation. On seeing that Yakko was injured, the old doctor immediately took charge.

"Quick, quick, get in ze car!" He carefully lifted Yakko into the back seat. "We need to get him to ze hospital. Now yous two get in ze front. Let's go before zey catch up with us!"

Wakko and Dot were doing as he said when Dot let out a cry.

"Wait! What about Baxter?!"

The words were barely out of her mouth when the toon in question appeared from an alleyway adjacent to Scratchensniff's car. There were muffled shouts not far behind.

"Never mind me! Get in the car!"

"But-"

"No buts! There's no time to lose. Go!" He addressed Scrathensniff. "Go, go now!"

The psychiatrist didn't need to be asked twice. Wakko and Dot scrambled into the car and sat in the front seat clinging to one another, sobbing for their now unconscious brother and for their friend, the sounds of angry shouts and distant sirens slowly fading as Doctor Scratchensniff put his foot down and they sped away.


At first, there was just blackness.

He hurt like hell.

Doctor Scratchensniff's voice in the background.

Perhaps, like Alice In Wonderland, he was going to wake up and find everything that had gone on in the last year had been a dream. Maybe, in real life, he was snoozing in Scratchy's office as that man lectured them on how to behave.

He had to be dreaming anyway. Scratchensniff wasn't around anymore. Nobody who'd previously cared about Yakko and his siblings seemed to be around anymore. Like many times in the recent months, he'd never felt he and his family were so alone.

He wasn't alone now, at least not literally. He was somewhere between dreaming and waking, and he was strangely comfortable. Apart from the pain.

He couldn't remember quite what had happened. He remembered taking flight down the street with Wakko and Dot, then being chased by those people...then...and then it was all muddled. He remembered a car horn and headlights, shouting, Dot crying, and terrible pain. Then...nothing. What had happened? He tried not to open his eyes; he didn't want to come back to reality yet, where who knew what new horrors he was going to face...

He couldn't help himself and his eyes cracked slowly, painfully open; only for a doctor to shine a torch in them none too kindly. Yakko groaned.

"Is he gonna be OK?"

Yakko knew from the Scouse tones that the fearful voice belonged to his brother.

"I should think so. If you hadn't taken action as fast as you did, it would have been a different story. He's had a lucky escape."

"Thanks to Scratchy..."

"W-Wakko?"

The doctor smiled.

"I'll leave you two in peace."

The on-call doctor left; leaving Wakko, Dot, and – much to Yakko's surprise – Doctor Scratchensniff standing by his bedside.

"Ah, Yakko, you give us quite the scare, ja?"

"Scratchy? What? What's going on? Why are you here?"

"He saved us all, that's why he's here!" Dot piped up. "We thought you were never going to wake up!"

"Yeah, you've been out for nearly a week, Yakko! We've been so scared!"

"I'm in the hospital?"

His siblings looked at him strangely.

"Don't you remember anything?"

Yakko thought. The image of the gang that had chased after them all flashed into his mind. They were getting nearer, shouting abuse at the three siblings as they spread out threateningly...

"The leader went to throw something at you, Wakko..."

"I think...I think it was Thinner. You stepped out in front to protect me. If it hadn't been for Scratchy and Baxter..."

Yakko suddenly jerked upright but then fell back in the bed, hissing with pain.

"Baxter! Did he...I mean...oh, he's not dead, is he?"

"Vat are you talking about? Do you mean the stoat? Don't worry, Yakko, he is fine."

"But is he hurt? He was trying to save us!"

"He did sustain some...minor injuries." Wakko and Dot had to restrain Yakko from getting out of bed. Scratchensniff laid a hand on his arm but he pulled away.

"I have to go to him..."

"He's not in the hospital, Yakko. He's been here with Wakko and Dot ze last week, but he vent home just for a while..."

"He's gonna be so mad he missed you waking up!"

Yakko was quiet for a moment while he took all this information in, before turning to Scratchensniff, looking more tired and serious than the doctor had ever seen him.

"Well, thanks for saving us, Scratchy. Now I suppose you'll be off again while we try to salvage what's left of our lives?" His voice was angry, but there was the definite glimmer of tears in his eyes. "Are you going to leave us to fend for ourselves? Leave my little brother in pieces all over again?"

"Hold up, Yakko, maybe you should actually listen to what Scratchy has to say..."

It was Wakko who had piped in. Yakko eyed him carefully before replying.

"I'm listening."

Doctor Scratchensniff opened his mouth to start, but Wakko could contain himself no longer.

"I was right all along! Scratchy didn't forget us. He was forced to leave by Mr Plotz, and he wasn't allowed to visit or contact us anymore, but then he realized something weird was goin' on because he's so smart..." Wakko smiled at the doctor. "So he went to get the advice of an old friend of his, Mr Fenton, who's a lawyer! And it just so happens..." Wakko puffed out his chest with pride, "that Mr Fenton knew some of our story because he met ME on one of the studio tours! He said he was a great fan of our show, and he was very nice to me, but I didn't think anything of it. But he obviously remembered what I'd said because he and Scratchy worked together to expose Mr Plotz!"

Wakko finished, panting for breath where he'd gabbled out the scenario so quickly. Yakko still felt too groggy to realize what his hyperactive brother was implying by his story. He looked at Scratchensniff.

"Forgive me Scratchy, I'm not quite my tip-top sharp-as-a-knife self. This is all very interesting, but what does it all mean?"

Scratchensniff laid a hand on Yakko's arm; he didn't pull away this time.

"Vat it means is that the money Plotz stole has been restored to its rightful owners, i.e. the three of yous. He has been arrested for embezzlement and his employment with the studios has been permanently suspended. Zere is to be a new CEO for Warner Brothers and you are velcome to return home to your water tower whenever you wish." He paused. "Vell, that is, of course, if you want to. And of course you would no longer be restricted by Plotz's ridiculous rules...you would be free to come and go as you please...but of course it is entirely up to you."

Wakko and Dot held onto their brother's hands pleadingly. It was Wakko who spoke first.

"Let's go home, Yakko. Don't think we're not grateful for everything you've done for us and for working so hard to support us, because we are. But now we don't have to worry anymore..." Wakko grinned. "We can go back to having fun everyday. There'll be a new guard to be our 'special friend'..."

"And of course I vill come and see you all the time. I can go back to taking yous three on trips..." Scratchensniff sounded more enthusiastic than he meant to. He stopped abruptly and looked at Yakko. "Er, that is, Yakko, if you can bring yourself to trust me again."

Yakko wagged his finger, indicating that he wanted Scratchensniff to come closer.

"I'll trust you again...on one condition..."

"Oh...vat's that?"

"I can hit you with my mallet."

The psychiatrist let out an unintentional girlish yelp, but he nodded.

"OK, Yakko. But not too hard, deal ja?"

"Deal. And I'll only use a little one."

Scratchensniff gave him a glare, but Yakko could see he was only teasing. He pulled the bedclothes up over the eldest Warner, and very gently patted him on the head. He looked at Wakko and Dot. "I'll give you all some time alone."

"You won't go home without us, will you, Doctor Scratchensniff?" Dot asked. Wakko leapt up and gave him a great big kiss.

"Of course he won't! I told you he'd never forget us!"


It was several days before the hospital even considered discharging Yakko, but after a week he was told he was healing very nicely and it shouldn't be much longer. The better he felt, the more bored he became, but he was never lonely.

Wakko and Dot visited every day without fail; they were staying nearby with Scratchensniff until Yakko was ready to go home. Baxter visited nearly every day too; Yakko hadn't really believed he was alright until the stoat had practically skipped into his hospital room.

There had been a quiet moment where they had exchanged embarrassed hugs and a few relieved tears.

Dot did most of the talking when his sibs visited – what else was new – and though Wakko was usually the more reserved of the two, Yakko noticed that he was quieter than ever in the days that followed their ordeal.

Dot had fallen asleep at his side late one afternoon; he still tired easily, and his own eyelids were heavy, but he noticed Wakko sitting in silence on the hard plastic chair next to his bed, hands clenched into fists as they rested on his knees. Yakko sighed inwardly; that was always a sign that something was bugging his brother. He reached across and put a hand on Wakko's head.

"Come on, bro. What's on your mind?"

Wakko looked up from his lap.

"I...I keep thinking about what happened that night. It was all so quick. You saved me...if it hadn't been for Scratchy you would have...you could be...and it would have been all my fault! Just like before!"

"Before? What-"

"With Dadoo. That was my fault too!"

Yakko looked at him strangely. Wakko rarely mentioned their creator; especially by name. Trust Wakko to give a life-shattering confession only days after Yakko had come round from what felt like a building falling on him.

"Aw, come on Wak. That was an accident, you know that. It was nobody's fault."

"It was! It was! Harry promised to watch the Don Knotts marathon with me and then he said he couldn't because he went to that meeting to try and get us an audition and I was so angry I told him I hated him and then he had to go but he didn't ever come back!"

Yakko looked at his brother in astonishment.

"Wak...just because you argued it doesn't make it your fault..."

"I bet he wasn't concentrating on driving because we fought! I can't stand that the last thing I said to our Dadoo was that I hated him!"

Wakko was shouting but his eyes were brimming with tears. He was clinging on to his cap.

"That's why I had to have the hat, Yakko...it was his first present to me...I-I couldn't leave it behind..."

Yakko tried to reach across to him before stopping with a grimace, the pain across his middle reminding him he wasn't quite ready to leap into action just yet. He gestured for Wakko to come closer and put a hand on his siblings' hatless head.

"Now come on, Wakko. You know that Harry didn't hate you. He loved you. He loved all of us."

"But how do I know for sure? Maybe he wouldn't have forgiven me."

Yakko had to think about that one; as the eldest sibling he was often expected to know anything and everything. Even the impossible questions like this one. The answer came to him and he flashed Wakko a smile.

"He always told us people who loved each other were allowed to have arguments. It's in the unspoken rule book...Wak, why didn't you tell me any of this before?"

Wakko looked sheepish. He didn't often keep secrets from his siblings; if he did he'd done something really bad. Or eaten all their secret candy supplies.

"Dot didn't know about the fight... and it all seemed so silly. I didn't think you'd want to hear me out. I thought you'd just call it 'Middle Kid Syndrome' like always..."

Wakko didn't see the look on Yakko's face before his older brother continued. He hadn't realized Wakko took his and Dot's little in-joke so much to heart.

"We all make mistakes, Wakko. Do you think I never feel guilty? After we ran away I couldn't believe how stupid I'd been. I didn't even know where to start. As awful as being locked up was, at least before we had a roof over our heads and we could eat without having to worry. I was...I was so intent on getting away. I didn't think of you and Dot..."

It was Wakko's turn to clasp Yakko's hand.

"I don't think that's possible, Yakko. You only EVER think of me and Dot."

Yakko grinned at him.

"Shall we make a pact? You promise to tell me when anything major like this is bothering you...and I promise never to brush you off with the 'Middle Kid Syndrome' line again."

"It's a promise...until you get better and go back to being Mr Smarty-Pants all the time."

Wakko was only joking, but Yakko was as good as his word.

He never once broke that promise.


* No, no, I meant tea or something...not a drink drink lol.

**Personal interpretation. Toons bleed in my world. O_O