Everybody kept doing their best to support their sick and bedridden clan member as his sickness got worse. Brooklyn at first had been able to eat well enough since his stomach had allowed him to.

He was now sitting on an exam table, still having a bad cough while Sato looked him over for any improvement. It still wasn't looking very good.

"Well?" Lex asked after Hudson helped him down to get to his bed again. Sato frowned a bit in sadness.

"It is still the same, not getting any better and I still can't find any medicine to cure him," Brooklyn had heard while standing with Hudson, eyes filling with tears from this news. Lex was angry and sad, wanting to go kill someone.

He turned to Brooklyn. "I promise, Bro, if… no. When you get better, I personally wish to knock those Quarrymen flying for you," he vowed. Brook looked down a bit after seeing his brother's angry eyes. He himself was still against hurting humans but those Quarrymen keep giving them reasons to. He had no replies to this.

Goliath took Lex's hand. "Lexington, we all know how we feel about the Quarrymen poisoning him. But I don't wish for revenge on them still," he said. Lex looked down before nodding. They brought Brooklyn back to bed when his checkup was done and Goliath had ended up hugging his Second.

"Keep being strong, my friend." He said gently. Brooklyn nodded with red eyes but doubt continued to invade his head, starting to feel hope for his cure drain from his body while lying back.

…

A night after that, Brooklyn was feeling more miserable than ever. He kept refusing to eat whatever was offered to him and got skinnier, because he was afraid of his stomach rejecting the food.

He was curled up in bed, just having a nap when Angela came in with a smile.

"Hi, Brooklyn. J-just wondering if you're hungry?" she asked, since it was his lunchtime. She had brought in some soup Broadway made. But he just looked at her with a sad expression, shaking his head after waking up, then looking away. It smelled good but Brook just couldn't find the effort to eat again.

"No, s'fraid to throw up," he mumbled, wincing from his stomach and chest hurting him. Angela took his hand.

"You can't stop eating, Brooklyn. We need you back in health," she said gently and worriedly. But he just kept crying.

"D-don't see any point— agh!" He whimpered from his head suddenly feeling dizzy, kicking his legs a bit under the covers, chest and stomach bursting in agony. Angela felt her worry growing when she tried to comfort him, setting the bowl down.

"Oh, it hurts!" Brooklyn sobbed, holding his stomach, vision swimming and making it hard for him to see anything. Angela knew this was another one of his stomach breakdown moments, rubbing his hand as comfortingly as she could.

"Just breathe gently, relax, it'll be ok," she pleaded, next going to rub his stomach. Brook felt himself flush slightly from her touching his belly but did his best to relax and not let himself get carried away. She even began to hum a lullaby that she remembered growing up, in hopes at least if he closed his eyes for a little while, he would be more willing to eat later.

Brooklyn kept having tears come while she sang.

"Just a closer walk with Thee

Grant it, Jesus, is my plea

Daily walking close to Thee

Let it be, dear Lord, let it be"

He opened his eyes when he heard Angela singing the hymn. Brooklyn himself was a little familiar with it since Angela introduced them to some of what she learned in Avalon, mostly of Christianity that Brook got interested in. He laid back, still doing his steady breathing while she kept singing.

"I am weak but Thou art strong

Jesus keep me from all wrong

I'll be satisfied as long

As I walk, let me walk close to Thee"

He himself began to hum and sing quietly, too, eyes slowly closing.

"When my feeble life is o'er

Time for me will be no more

Guide me gently, safely o'er

To Thy kingdom's shore, to Thy shore…"

Angela smiled from Brooklyn's verse, tears coming down too, when she finished.

"Just a closer walk with Thee

Grant it, Jesus, is my plea

Daily walking close to Thee

Let it be, dear Lord, let it be."

Brooklyn then had fallen asleep into another fever dream since his forehead was still hot and Angela hoped with her song it wouldn't be a bad one.

….

He found himself in Central Park, glancing around in nervousness at who he would meet. Brook then heard cruel chuckling; it was Thailog.

"Well, what a nice surprise to see you, Brooklyn. Rumors were going around that you will soon be gone. Such a shame…"

Brook backed up. He didn't want to take this anymore, tears falling.

"No, please," he said tearfully until someone else came. It was Angela. He gazed at his savior in surprise. This never happened before.

"Back off, Thailog. He's had enough insults," Angela growled, staying protectively near Brooklyn, who smiled gratefully as Thailog's image disappeared. She turned and smiled gently at him, making the red gargoyle blush.

"Come on," Angela invited Brooklyn, taking him over to the pond in the park and sat down on a bench with him.

For a time, they just sat there. Brooklyn couldn't stop admiring Angela's beauty which brought sadness into his heart wondering why she didn't choose him. He then cleared his throat.

"Um, Angela… d-do you love me?" He mumbled awkwardly, rubbing his neck. Angela turned in some surprise at his question.

"Yes, I do. But why do you ask now?" She asked curiously. Brooklyn then couldn't hold in his tears, looking at the water now.

"W-why did you choose Broadway for your mate instead of me? Was there something wrong with me?" He asked sadly. Angela gasped a little from Brooklyn saying this.

"No, Brooklyn, I didn't see anything wrong with you at all. My heart just found a match in Broadway. But it doesn't mean I won't stop caring about you," she assured him. Brooklyn's tears kept coming from her words before glancing away again.

"I just don't think I'm good enough for anyone," he mumbled, throwing a rock in the water. Angela hugged him then.

"Please, don't think that way, I know you will find somebody perfect for you. Just don't stop looking. But I can still be a sister for you, if you'd still like that," she offered. Brooklyn ended up hugging Angela back, sniffling. Yes, yes, he would.

"Yeah," he said shakily, just remaining there in her arms in the dream until he woke up.

….

Angela in the waking world watched for any signs for Brooklyn waking up, which he eventually did, blinking open his eyes, feeling his stomach suddenly growl.

"Hi," he mumbled sleepily, coughing again. Angela smiled at him.

"You think you'll be able to eat now?" She asked. Brooklyn glanced at the bowl then back at her, nodding then. He didn't feel too sick in his stomach as before.

"Just take it easy when eating, ok?" She suggested. Brooklyn nodded again as she helped feed some of the still warm soup. Brooklyn took a nervous bite, waiting for himself to throw up, but nothing happened so he kept eating, giving Angela a weak smile. He didn't completely remember his fever dream but Brooklyn recalled being hugged in it, which lifted his spirits slightly. Maybe the dream had given him hope to not completely give up on his life, hopefully.