Author's Note: To all who have seen Land of the Flea. WILT IS PLUSH!-courtesy of Wilt, Mac, Rattle, and Goddess (myself).

Review Replies are at the end of the chapter.

Chapter 18: Forgiveness

Sunlight streamed into the room, illuminating its few residents with a shaft of gold. One lay curled on his side under the blankets of his cot, asleep. The other two were piled together to a small recliner that had been moved into the room for just such a reason. It was a peaceful, pleasant scene in spite of the location. The Foster's Home for Imaginary Friend's Infirmary.

As the warmth of the sunlight played across the bed's sole occupant, he stirred, burrowing deeper into the blankets. Then, when all but his eyestalks were hidden, he opened his eye and looked around. It took him a moment to register where he was, having only been to the Infirmary three or four times in the entirety of his stay at Fosters. Settling into the bed, he let his mind ponder over the recent past. Snippets of dreams and memory flashed through his mind like a filmstrip. He recalled James and the knife, Satin being hurt, a flash of light, someplace warm, secret and dark, then a brief memory of waking up in the hospital long enough for the doctor to tell him he could go home for the time being.

That place . . . That warm place . . . The more he thought about it the more he recalled. The crimson walls, the breathable liquid, the utter peace of it . . .

He couldn't name where he'd seen it before, in a dream perhaps?

Closing his eyes, he called the image to mind again. The thread . . .

Looking down he could see the faintest trace of blue stitching on his chest glimmering in the sunlight. He shivered in sudden realization.

That was where he came from. When Jodee brought him into existence that was where he'd come from . . . A womb of the mind. A place of thought, where ideas were fashioned into living creatures by lonely children.

"I guess this is what people mean when they talk about seeing a tunnel of light . . ." he mused, "Maybe we're all just seeing where we came from."

With a smile he shook off the ideas. It had probably been a dream. He had lost a lot of blood and the fight had been rather traumatic . . .

But he couldn't totally shake the feeling that he'd been saved. Healed. Something inside him seemed to move a little easier. He felt like he could really breathe . . .

Sitting up slightly, he looked around the room. He was the only friend in need of medical attention today apparently, all the beds were empty and the nurse friend wasn't at her desk. That was when he caught sight of them and he couldn't help but smile. They looked so cute together, sleeping in the chair. Satin lay curled in the depths of the recliner, Crackers resting in her arms, occasionally twitching an ear in his sleep. Watching them gave Wilt a distant ache in his heart, the ache of a person who has accepted that there are some things in this world that can't be had. He wanted to tell her how he felt, get it off his chest so that he could move on but . . . How could he? She looked so happy with Crackers and he had been so worried when she'd disappeared.

Carefully, so as not to wake them, he slid his legs over the edge of the bed and looked for his shoes. Finding them missing, he rose shakily and walked slowly across the floor to the windows.

Madame Foster had always had a theory about sick people. It was the same theory that she applied to sick plants. "A little sun and water will perk anything up." It was one of the reasons the windows were so huge in the Infirmary, to let in the light and to let those inside look out.

Leaning on the sill, Wilt watched as Frankie shooed Eduardo, Mac, Bloo, and Coco outside. The window was cracked a bit and he could hear her voice distantly say, "Go on guys, try to play for awhile. Wilt wouldn't want you cooped up like this. Satin and Crackers are sitting with him now and they'll let us know if he wakes up. I promise I'll come get you the moment he does."

Wilt was tempted to fling the window open and to tell them that he was sorry for worrying them. In fact, his hand was on the window pane when he heard a small cry from behind him. Turning, he saw Satin sitting up, looking in shock at his empty bed.

"Wilt!" she said, looking around.

"Sorry!" Wilt exclaimed, moving slowly towards her, "I woke up and you two just looked so cute that I couldn't wake you up."

Wilt took a moment to look over her rumpled appearance. One side of her face had been shaved and two bandages decorated the area, concealing the cuts James had inflicted on her. One eye bore a blackened bruise, a testament to her fight to escape. Her hair appeared unbrushed and from the looks of things she'd slept in her jeans and turtleneck.

She was still beautiful to him, even if she was a little less than her usual perfect self.

Crackers looked up at Wilt from his place on the arm rest, "Feeling okay?"

"Yeah, I'm okay." Wilt replied, he didn't want to worry Crackers anymore than he already had.

Satin stood and guided Wilt back to bed, drawing the blankets up over his chest, "You shouldn't be up yet!" she scolded, "You're still too weak."

Wilt smiled up at her sheepishly, "I'm sorry."

Two words . . . Yet they were words she'd been longing to hear. It was true, he was all right. He had to be if he could still say that. Satin felt her throat constrict, her eyes fill with tears. He was safe.

A choked sob came from Satin's throat, "Oh Wilt!"

The next thing Wilt knew, he was enveloped in a hug that rivaled Eduardo's in force. He felt tears against his cheek as she cried. A smile crossed his face, he seemed to end up in this position all too often these days.

"I'm okay, Satin, really!" he exclaimed, "I'm just a little tired from the blood loss, that's all."

Satin squeezed him a little more and he abandoned speech to pat her on the back.

"I was so worried about you and, oh Wilt . . . I'm so sorry. It was all my fault!" she said into his neck.

Wilt remembered that Crackers was in the room and felt very awkward suddenly. After all, Crackers and Satin were together . . . What if Crackers got the wrong idea from this?

"I'm just fine! And what do you mean it was your fault?" Wilt replied, carefully pushing Satin back enough that he could see her face.

"If I hadn't left you'd never had to go after me and . . . And . . ." she looked about to burst into tears again.

"Satin, it's okay, really. You couldn't have known that all this was going to happen. Besides, I would have done the same thing if Jodee had sent me a letter after dropping me off here. I understand." he waited a moment while she dried her eyes with her shirtsleeve, "Are you going to be okay?"

Satin nodded, "I just . . . I feel so guilty about it. I should never have worried everyone like that."

Crackers leapt up on the bed and patted her hand, "Satin, things are fine. You and Wilt are home safe. You just made a mistake is all."

Wilt smiled and grasped the concept, "Yeah, we all make mistakes. Everything's going to be okay."

Satin dried her eyes a little more and looked at them both, "Can you forgive me for what I've put you through?"

Wilt stared at her with an incredulous smile, she wanted forgiveness for something already forgiven, "We forgive you. It's okay, Satin."

A watery smile appeared on her face and she pulled both Crackers and Wilt into a hug, "I'm so glad we're all home."

Wilt sighed, "Me too."

As she released him, Wilt caught Satin whispering lightly to him, "Wilt, there's something I need to tell you."

Wilt turned to her, curious. Her eyes looked into his and he could see worry in their depths. As he opened his mouth to ask her what was wrong a familiar voice came from the direction of the door,

"SEE! I told you!"

Wilt looked up in time to see Bloo pointing dramatically towards his bed with the gang close behind him.

"Wilt!" Mac exclaimed, running up to the bed.

"Coco!"

"Wilt es no meurto!" Eduardo yelled happily as he bounded over and enveloped them all in a huge hug.

"It's good to see you too Ed and I'm sorry but you're crushing me." Wilt rasped as he was being squashed.

"Oh! I so sorry!" Eduardo exclaimed releasing him.

Wilt smiled, "It's okay."

Frankie came in followed by Mr. Herriman.

"I thought I saw you guys come up here. Look he's not gonna wake up any-" Eduardo moved out of the way and she caught a glimpse of Wilt sitting up in bed, "Wilt!"

A smile blossomed on Frankie's face, "You're awake! Oh man I'm so glad you're okay."

She moved over to his side to give him a quick hug, "You had us worried sick there for awhile."

Wilt blushed, his cheeks quite literally lighting up slightly, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you."

"Ah, Master Wilt, your recovery will certainly bring house morale to its peak. The friends of the house have been the very picture of despair since your-ahem-incident." Mister Herriman announced, joining the crowd, "I am confident that Miss Satin is very grateful to you for her rescue. Your heroics have not gone unnoticed by the house management, as soon as you are well enough to attend we will hold a special banquet in your honor."

Wilt blushed brighter and replied, "That's really nice of you Mister Herriman but I'm sure there's others who deserve it more. Like Frankie and the others, they were out looking for us until early in the morning and if it weren't for them I-" he swallowed a lump in his throat as the enormity of what might have happened came crashing down on him.

"Nonsense, Master Wilt." Mister Herriman continued, "You single-handedly-eh . . ." a slight blush colored Herriman's cheeks as he realized his unintended pun, "You bravely came to the assistance of a fellow friend in need, offering the greatest sacrifice any friend can offer, you life. Miss Francis and the others arrived in the nick of time and their assistance will not go unnoticed. However, you are the figment of the hour, Master Wilt."

The others nodded, happily agreeing as Wilt sat blushing, the center of attention once again.

Wilt was a people person. He loved talking to people, helping them, making them happy, but in situations where honors and thanks were placed on him he shied away, modest to a fault. He could give a passionate speech on the subject of helping others but he couldn't be in the spotlight. It always made him feel like he was taking away from others to be the center of attention and that wasn't very helpful . . .

He felt a hand on his own and looked up into Satin's smiling face. His heart gave a little lurch and he smiled back, she was his friend, he was certain of that much. Even if she never felt the same way about him as he did about her he could still be her friend.

After several minutes of conversation which Wilt only half-listened to, being wrapped up in his own thoughts as he was, the others decided that Wilt needed more rest and left the room with Satin and Crackers lagging behind.

Looking up and realizing she was leaving Wilt said, "Hey Satin, what was it you wanted to tell me?"

That same worried look from earlier crossed her face for a moment before she replied, "It was nothing, don't worry about it."

"Are you sure?" Wilt asked, concerned.

She smiled brightly at him, "I'm fine, Wilt. Just a little worried about you is all. Do you need anything?"

Wilt shook his head, "I'll be okay. I think I'll just try to rest for awhile."

"Okay." she replied, turning to leave.

Wilt didn't miss the deep blush that colored her cheeks as she turned away.

Review Replies:

Ami Quinton26: I can't wait to see how I end it either XD. I still haven't thought that far ahead.

Winged Werefox: Agreed, things like that shouldn't happen to nice guys like him. But being the author that I am I feel that that which does not kill the character makes them stronger.