((And here is the chapter I think everyone was waiting for, including myself!))

Returning to consciousness was a slow process. For a long moment, eyes closed, Blinky couldn't fathom where he was or why he was there or why he was laying down when he felt like there was something important to do.

Then everything came crashing back. The captured Trolls, facing down and fighting with James Sr... Jim's arrival.

Master Jim!

Blinky's first instinct was to move, to get to his feet or get out of the way or something, but he felt so very weak. Slowly he opened his eyes and saw familiar rafters above him. Of course he'd recognize the beams in the Lake basement on sight, after all the times he'd been in there playing tabletop games with Draal and Aaarrrggghh or come through the tunnel to visit the Trollhunter. He was laying on his back, and for some reason his entire upper left arm was both numb and immobile, though he didn't quite have the oomph in him to push himself up and look to find out why. Then he registered soft breathing grazing his lower left hand and raised his head enough to confirm what he suspected; Aaarrrggghh with his head on – was Blinky laying on a cot? - a mass of blankets and on top of the quilt that covered the scholar warmly, asleep though not very peacefully by the frown on his face.

Then Blinky's eyes took in the rest of the room and he saw who else was at his bedside, dozing with his head pillowed on his folded arms on the back of a chair: Jim.

For a moment Blinky just lay there, dazed. Clearly he could surmise that somehow they had fended off James Sr at least long enough for Jim to get him out of there, and brought him to the Lake household. But what then?

As if in answer, Jim stirred slightly, turning his head from one side to the other and his blue eyes sliding open a fraction... then popping completely wide when he saw Blinky awake.

"Blinky!" he gasped, straightening up and the creaking from the chair awakening Aaarrrggghh in the process. The Krubera's face practically lit up as he moved hurriedly around to the other side, nearly clearing a shelf in the process, to nuzzle Blinky gently but with all the enthusiasm in the gentle giant's heart.

"Blinky awake!"

"Amazingly so, my friend," replied the scholar, gently touching Aaarrrggghh's arm in reassurance with his lower hand. "Perhaps one of you can help me understand what happened? How am I here, and more importantly still breathing?"

"Jim stopped James Sr," spoke up Aaarrrggghh. "You were shot. Trollmarket too far away, so bring here. Barbara remove bullet, Vendel finish with magic." Blinky carefully turned his gaze to see a bit of bandage on his shoulder.

"My mom bandaged your arm to your chest," explained Jim. "We didn't want you moving your arm in your sleep or anything and hurting yourself again."

"Probably wise, though at the moment I feel so weak I doubt I could move much of me at all, let alone with any force behind it." Blinky gave a wry smile. "Dare I ask how furious Vendel is with me?" Jim chuckled, though there was a strained quality to it, tight.

"He said he was torn between being mad at you and being proud of what you did. I think the jury's still out on that one, though he said my mom can visit Trollmarket next time she's able. I think they were geeking out on healer stuff when I came back in the kitchen." Blinky chuckled, but a part of him was wondering if something was wrong with his human friend. Jim wasn't quite looking directly at him, and seemed uneasy, hesitant, and one hand on his knee kept closing into a fist then opening again.

"Aaarrrggghh, my friend," Blinky asked softly, "do you think you could go upstairs, if it is not daylight already, and let Barbara know I am awake? I think hearing from her about my prognosis would be helpful." For all that some people dismissed Aaarrrggghh's intelligence, he was far more insightful than many thought and Blinky was well aware of this. Aaarrrggghh nodded with a happy smile and after one more nuzzle headed upstairs, leaving the pair alone.

Blinky wanted to reach out and rest a hand on Jim's shoulder, like he always would do to offer comfort to his young charge, but with his arm bound as it was and his prone position that was rather impossible so instead he settled for asking.

"Master Jim, is something wrong?"

"Wrong?"

"Yes. You seem... uncertain." Blinky smiled, thinking he might have reasoned it out. "I know it was foolish of me to go in alone, and in truth I hadn't planned on it. But you needed Draal more, and a part of me hoped I could reason with your father, explain the difference between us and Gumm-Gumms and avoid a fight altogether." He gave a short chuckle. "Here I am scolding you all the time about making irrational decisions, and then I go and do the same thing!"

"Yeah, it was kinda d - dumb." Jim averted his gaze and Blinky felt his worry increase. Was Jim that angry at him? He didn't sound it – he sounded more upset or highly emotional than angry, and his voice broke a tiny bit on 'dumb' - but what could...

Then suddenly it hit Blinky like Draal's fist. The timing. The moments before Jim's arrival, and what had been said.

Oh by Deya's grace, what have I done?

Now Blinky found he was the one who looked elsewhere, a hand under the quilt fidgeting with the blankets he lay upon. Surely Jim had heard him! He hadn't been exactly quiet about it, half-deafened by gunshot and in a highly-emotional state himself, and then the Trollhunter had arrived mere moments after. But... what would he think? Would this change their relationship as Trollhunter and mentor?

Would Jim desire a new trainer?

Blinky swallowed heavily, closing his eyes as he decided to just face the proverbial music now, rather than later.

"How – how much did you hear?" His voice was quiet, barely a whisper. For a long moment Jim was silent, and Blinky started to get more and more worried. Then apparently he found his voice.

"It seems we gave each other a mantle, though neither of us knew it before... and mine is one I happily accept for the honor it is, and will bear it with pride for the rest of my days...dad." Blinky's eyes opened in shock as he heard his own words given back to him to find that Jim had turned his gaze to look at the Troll, and though tears rimmed the blue orbs he was smiling. The Troll stared blankly for a moment, awestruck at the title given. Then he smiled and pushed himself carefully up on his lower elbows, shrugging off the quilt from his shoulders as Jim rose from the chair and moved to sit on the edge of the cot, leaning over into the Troll's welcoming embrace.

"My son," Blinky whispered back, so glad that after all this time he finally had the freedom, the permission, to say it. Jim relaxed at the words like it was comforting to him as well.

Yes, even though it had been a long, painful road, and he probably would carry a scar, every step had been worth it to get to this moment.

And unseen from the top of the stairs Aaarrrggghh and Barbara looked at one another and smiled.