Dr. Sato came back to check on Brooklyn again, who was still out of it the next night. Most of his critical wounds were mostly healed the first night of stone sleep. But the rest of it needed more treatment, along with a blood transfusion since he had lost quite a lot of it.
At some point, Sato said they would eventually move Brooklyn into his room to wake up in since he'd probably freak out again if he wakes again in the medic room.
Brooklyn's clan took turns watching over him during the two nights, where two would go on patrol while the others stayed near Brooklyn while he lay in the medical bed.
It was Lex's turn to watch him for the final night Brooklyn had to sleep in the medic room since he was close to waking. Sato by now had taken off Brooklyn's bandages since the stone sleep had been working. He took Brooklyn's hand in his.
"We'll help you, Brooklyn. I just hope you can come back to us," he whispered softly, watching his brother's chest rising and falling gently.
Dr. Sato wanted to do the blood transfusion for Brooklyn while he was still in the medical area. He had studied all the clan's blood samples before, and Broadway was a match for him.
Broadway was willing to help his brother in any way that he could. He hated seeing him this way. He was so skinny. He had been before, but even worse now.
The doctor got everything ready and he collected some fresh blood from Broadway's arm and collected it into a sterile bag. Broadway was allowed to go relax when he was done. Then, Sato got the bag hooked up and put a needle into Brooklyn's arm, where the blood would go to replace what he had lost.
It took a while, but Brooklyn's health signs were beginning to improve with the blood transfusion.
Dr. Sato said to the clan, "He looks like he's starting to improve. When you first got him back here, I wondered if he was going to make it after whatever Thailog did."
The clan was so pleased to hear that he was getting better. They would try to come see him once he was settled in his room soon. The transfusion finally finished.
Sato then came to wheel Brooklyn into his room for him to wake up comfortably, but he would be ready if he needed to treat and sedate him. Goliath and the others followed, hoping Brooklyn would still remember them.
….
Brooklyn could slowly feel his world coming back, his head aching, as his eyes slowly opened, feeling so gummy and weak to do so. But somehow, his muscles didn't feel as bad as they did a while ago while he was a prisoner. He gave a little smile, vision getting better, and saw his old room. Perhaps he just had a long nightmare about being kidnapped and deprived of stone sleep, and that was why he felt so groggy.
Brooklyn sat up carefully, stretching, glad he had that day of stone sleep. He hoped now that his living hell with Thailog really were just nightmares.
But then, during his stretching, Brook felt a hard pain in his stomach, and he flinched, putting his hand over it. Thinking that the shackle was still on, new panic began to flood him as the door opened. Goliath had asked the others to wait outside until he was sure that Brooklyn would be okay to see them all at once.
"Brooklyn?" asked a terribly familiar sounding voice.
Brooklyn trembled as he gripped his bed sheets tight in his hands, eyes drifting to where the voice's speaker was. Goliath stood there with relief that he woke up, but with worry, too. But all Brooklyn could see was Thailog in Goliath's place, making him have a new trauma panic attack, shaking all over, sweating, as he cowered.
"Get away from me!" he whispered in fright, holding his pillow, curling up, as Thailog's brimming taunting, red eyes burned in his chest, his laughter echoing all around him. Goliath frowned at this continuing reaction, stepping forward.
"Brooklyn, listen, I'm still not Thailog, it's me, Goliath. And your shackle had been removed," he said in a desperate tone, trying to reach out, but Brook kept shaking his head, covering himself with his blankets all over his head now, crying.
Goliath now had no idea what to do, the only way now was to have Hudson or Bronx help. Brooklyn would accept either of them more than him anyway. Sighing, he stepped out to find Bronx waiting, tilting his head in concern. Goliath petted him. "You can see him, boy," he said gently.
Bronx woofed as he went in, the rest of the clan glancing in and seeing Brooklyn quivering under the covers. Whining, he nudged his side gently. This got Brooklyn's attention a little, noticing his new companion. His hand trembling, Brooklyn petted Bronx, who spoke in his dog language.
Brook just glanced down, terrible memories threatening to make him break down, sniffling hoarsely from the pain in his broken heart, wondering if he'd ever be the same ever again.
The others came in, making Brooklyn jump a bit in fear, the fake rescue still strong in his head, shaking, and not speaking as they came closer.
"H-hey, how are you feeling?" Lex asked, fighting the urge to hug his brother because he felt happy he was awake. Plus a hug probably wouldn't be accepted very well because of how scared his brother seemed to be of them.
Brooklyn still shivered at the sight of them all.
Starting to feel his stomach again, he now noted the lack of the shackle, which comforted him a bit.
But he kept wondering what they were going to do with him this time. Will they put another shackle on that's even worse? Brooklyn gulped at the thought.
He said nothing at first. Then Hudson came forward.
"It's alright, Lad. We are all really here. We only want to know how you're feeling."
The old gargoyle reached out to Brooklyn, who gladly accepted Hudson's advances toward him. He was the only one he wanted to hold him right now. He also wanted Bronx to stay with him too.
"Alright, I guess. But I still feel sore." Brooklyn replied nervously. Then he winced as a pain in his belly let itself be known.
"What's wrong, lad?" Hudson asked in worry.
"Just my- stomach. It hurts." Brooklyn said, putting a hand on it.
"Maybe you should eat something." Angela offered.
Brooklyn looked over at her with a glare. He didn't want to be forced to eat anything if he didn't want to. "Not… hungry."
Then the doctor came into the room to see how he was doing. "I see you're finally awake, Brooklyn." Sato stated.
Brooklyn gripped Hudson tighter. He didn't like doctors right now.
"I came to see how you are doing." Sato said.
"He said his stomach hurts." Lex stated.
"Well, from what I dealt with getting that shackle off of his stomach, I wouldn't see why it wouldn't. But now that it's healed from last I saw, you should start on some light foods to get your body functioning again, to get your strength back. I also want you to take some special prebiotics and probiotics." Sato explained.
"What are those?" Goliath asked.
"Special enzymes that will get good bacteria in his digestive organs again so he can digest food properly. And right now, he needs all the help he can get. How has he been with seeing you guys?" Sato asked.
"He's been scared of us except for Hudson and Bronx. Especially Goliath." Lex replied.
"It'll take some time. His mentality is fragile right now. He went through some really bad mistreatment. That can leave a lot of people traumatized for a while. Take things slow and be patient with him. He also needs to gain weight back. Can one of you go make Brooklyn some soup and crackers? That would be the best food for him right now." Sato requested.
"I'll get right on it." Broadway said and left the room.
"You all just may want to leave him alone for right now and let him relax so he can eat when the one left brings his food to him." Sato stated. "But I am going to be back in in when the food is brought to make sure he eats."
"Take care of him, Hudson." Goliath said.
"I will, Lad." Hudson replied.
Sato and the clan left the room, leaving Hudson and Bronx in there with him. Brooklyn began to relax more with them gone.
"What bothers ya about the clan? They are only trying to help ya."
Brooklyn sniffled. He still had a hold of Hudson's arm as he laid back. "I… I don't want to talk about it." Brook replied.
"Alright. You can talk when you feel ready. We won't push ya." Hudson said.
Not long after, Broadway came back in with a tray with a bowl of chicken noodle soup and some crackers, and a glass of water on it.
Brooklyn could smell the soup. It smelled good, but he was still wary. Hudson took it from Broadway.
Dr. Sato came back in when the food had been delivered. He was going to make sure that Brooklyn ate something. "You need to start eating again to start your recovery. I also have some medicine for you to take too, Brooklyn. You had quite an infection in your system. You are to take them after you eat." Sato said.
"I don't want to eat. I don't want anything." Brooklyn clutched his sheets. He saw Broadway still in there.
"We know yur' stomach hurts, but this should be gentle on it." Hudson tried to soothe him to eat.
It took a bit more coaxing, but the doctor wouldn't leave until he ate. Finally, he gave in.
The soup and crackers were good. He ate it slowly, but he just couldn't finish the whole bowl of soup. He also had some crackers too. They were the Saltine variety. Then he downed some of his water. Sato then said it was time for his medicine. He needed the water to get it down.
Hudson encouraged him to take the pills, as much as he didn't want to take them. It was just to make sure that the lingering infection wouldn't keep on bringing him down again.
"There, happy?" Brooklyn glared.
"That's a good start, even if you didn't finish it all. It'll take some time for you to get back to where you were before what happened." Sato explained. "Just eat small meals at first. It might be best if you keep some crackers in here for if in case your stomach starts to act up."
"Might be a good idea." Hudson agreed with him. Broadway did too.
Bronx whined up at Brooklyn, who reached down to pet him for comfort.
Broadway took the tray back out to the kitchen.
Dr. Sato was finally satisfied that his patient was going to be fine. This was a start. If he kept on cooperating on eating, his body weight would be back up in no time.
Brooklyn himself, just felt miserable. He didn't want Hudson to leave his side right now, or Bronx.
"I need to go talk to the clan, lad, but I'll leave Bronx here with ya." Hudson said.
"Please don't go." Brooklyn pleaded.
"I must, Brooklyn. You'll be fine, and I promise no more shackles would hurt you. Just get some rest." He helped him lay down again and tucked him into bed.
Brooklyn sadly watched him go, but he was glad he still had Bronx with him. He had been alone for so long that he didn't want to be alone anymore, as he began to slowly fall asleep.