Note: I'm happy most of you liked the Robbie thing. I really believed in that section, cause I believe Robbie has been upset since the beginning. And he has tried to reconcile most of the story (example: the message from Benny)…so it's nice that he finally got it. Shameless Plug: My RPG is in need of a Mark. If you have any interest go to my profile and the link is there. Benny is also needed, and we always accept newbies. OH! Pie! (runs to eat it…) You know guys, I love ya, but I'm gonna gain about 50 pounds on you all alone. Te he.

Angel's parents refused to let her go back to see Collins that night. Or to be more truthful, her siblings were too busy welcoming her home. So Sybil and Peter thought it best that she relax after being hugged and mauled by them all. But she did call Collins on the phone letting him know she would stop by early in the morning. She also told him that she would explain everything about his mother then. Collins wanted to protest, he had waited long enough. With a sigh, he let it go. Then the ninjas stole the phone from Angel and asked him if the Master Tierack had finally been done in by other ninja forces. Collins convinced them that he would be back to fight another day. When Collins finished talking to the ninjas and wished Angel a good nights sleep, he snuggled into bed and fell asleep instantly.

It only seemed like a moment later when he was shaken awake.

"Tom! Tom!" A voice that he recognized immediately as his mothers called out to him. She held onto his arms and shook him harder then she intended, "Tom! Wake up! We're going to get out of here!"

Collins blinked his eyes a few times and pulled himself up. Turning on the lights, he noticed a change in his mother. Something darker in her eyes. Perhaps Collins' health made her depressed, yet Collins couldn't be sure if that's what it was.

"Mom…calm down what are you talking about?" Collins asked staying still in her arms.

Mrs. Collins shook her head, "We have to go, Tom. Get out of here." She slipped her hands down to take Collins' right hand. "They'll take you away from me. I can't let that happen. We have to go before they find us."

"Mom…who is gonna find us? Why would anyone take me away…did Dad say something?" Collins asked fear suddenly hitting him. Was his father trying to gain custody of him?

Mrs. Collins refuted his question with another shake of her head, "No. Not him….what would want with you?" She asked quickly not realizing how her words stung her son.

"Then…who are you talking about?" Collins questioned quietly realizing that they could wake up other patients or more importantly the nurses. let out a loud cry and pulled Collins' hand trying to get him out of bed, "All of them. Everyone. They know. Tom, please come." She tugged harder on his arm unaware of her son's gasps. While she extended his arm, muscles flexed down to his wound. For the first time since Sid plunged the weapon into him, Collins felt pain.

"Mom! Stop, it hurts!" Collins called out closing his eyes. She refused to relent.

"You have to get up, Tom. We have to go." Mrs. Collins used all of her strength to give one more jerk.

Collins screamed feeling like the blade has slipped through his skin again. This time, Mrs. Collins couldn't ignore him. She let go of his hand and backed away while he cradled his stomach.

"They'll find us now. They'll find me…they'll take you away…" Mrs. Collins mumbled leaning against the wall scratching at her arms and cowering. Her son couldn't reply, even if he understood her.

It didn't take long for them to come. A male and female nurse came barging in the room.

"What are you doing here? Visiting hours are over." The female nurse said, her nametag reading "Gail". Mrs. Collins met the woman's eye for a moment before covering her face.

"You can't take him from me." She mumbled between her fingers.

"Gail…" The male nurse said turning towards the female. She ignored Collins' mother for a moment to go over to her colleague. She gasped looking down at the teen's side, blood pouring through the gauze quickly, "The stitches broke."

"Did I hurt him?" Mrs. Collins whimpered as she crept closer to the door, "I never meant to…" Collins groaned as the male nurse gently pulled his hand off the wound. His hand was covered in blood.

"Shit…why is this kid bleeding so much?" The male nurse asked Gail who was eyeing is chart.

She frowned and turned to Mrs. Collins, "I'm sorry ma'am but you'll have to leave."

The mother shook her head violently, "You can't make me leave him." She ran to Collins' bed pushing aside the male nurse. Collins looked up at her through his pain struggling to focus on her.

"Honey…" She said quietly. Then Collins' eyes met her own. And he saw her pupils dilated and her twitching body. He had gotten to know people like that in high school. Popular kids who couldn't handle the stress of school and popularity on top of their family issues. So they shot up behind the tennis fields, Robbie even took a few. But Collins made him stop when they got together. He was disgusted by it. All this time…she was hiding it. And he didn't see.

Collins' eyes filled with tears of anger and pain, "Get out." He hissed, "Get the hell out!" He screamed at her using all of the pain to power his voice.

Mrs. Collins backed up shaken more by his words than the drugs in her system. The male nurse left Collins' side to escort his mother out.

"You come back here…you'll be watched…or kicked to the curb." He warned her pushing her out of the door. Mrs. Collins turned to enter the room again, but the door was slammed into her face. She stood in a shock as a few more nurses and an eventual doctor entered the room. All determined to heal her child.

She watched them work unwilling to move from her spot. Her fingertips rested on her bottom lip, "What have I done?"

"You sure you're ok?" Angel asked Collins quietly as she stroked his cheek. She came to the hospital as early as she had promised. Angel had came in with a hop in her step and carrying donuts for the numerous nurses. Then they told her what happened that night. She stayed by Collins' bedside until he woke up late in the afternoon. And then she explained it all, as she promised. They held each other, both looking for comfort. It scared her…that Mrs. Collins would go that far. She had to wonder what else she was capable of when she was high. "You're ok, right?" Angel asked again.

Collins smiled gently, "The pain is gone again. More morphine and more stitches. And they're testing me for hemophilia." He sighed, "I only thought stuffy rich English people had that…guess not."

Angel lay her body down unto the bed and kissed his cheek, "That I know, lover. That's not what I meant."

"What do you….oh." Collins mumbled grasping Angel's words. He looked away for a moment, "I suppose. It…it makes sense. I'm so pissed that…I didn't realize it. I knew kids who used at school. I should have recognized it."

Biting her lip, Angel snuggled her head into the crook of Collins' left shoulder, "But she's your mommy." She whispered, "I don't think it's something that you were looking for."

"No." Collins said in reply, "I wasn't looking for it."

"That's it?" Angel questioned, "You're just upset at yourself? I don't think you deserve all of the blame." She kissed his neck gently trying to comfort him anyway she could.

Collins closed his eyes slowly, "I know I don't. And I am mad at her. For…for sinking so low. But she was lost…I don't wanna be mad at her, Angel. The minute I start to hate her...I can't. Does that make any sense?"

Angel nodded looking up at him and said, "Yes it does. She's your family…and maybe you don't wanna believe it. Cause she was superhero…I know you were never overtly fond of your father. So maybe you saw your mom as the hero…"

"Not really…but kinda." Collins said taking her hand into his, "I guess…she was always the damsel. And I thought…my father was the…"

"Evil wizard?" Angel supplied.

Collins nodded gently, "Yeah." He whispered to her, "I never thought that…the evil attacking her…was herself." Angel frowned and pulled herself closer to Collins steering clear of his sore torso. She let her lips grace his face lovingly.

"I'm so sorry, baby." Angel said raising her eyes to see Mark and Roger come into the room. They waved and looked very uncomfortable. Collins raised his brow wondering if Lydia somehow caught wind of the truth.

"The nurses…" Mark said gesturing towards the door, "They uhhh…briefed us." Roger dug his hands into his pockets trying to gauge Collins' reaction to the whole thing.

Collins raised his brow higher, "They took off your pants and inspected your briefs? I hope they were clean."

A small smile was avoidable for Mark who blushed as well. "You know what I mean…"

"I do." Collins replied glad for the strength of Angel's hand on his. "It's alright guys…I'm ok. I just need to stay here for a while longer. A few extra days."

"Yeah…about those extra days…" Mark said playing with his jaw as if he needed to gear it up for what he was about to say. "I read the student handbook…I know don't pick on me." Roger shrugged not feeling up to going after his friend for such things, "And it said something about Valedictorians…your title will be taken away if you don't ace your finals. They grade your stuff first."

Collins sighed knowing that at this point finals weren't an option. They were a few days away and Collins didn't even start to study, "I don't really give a shit, Mark. The titles don't mean a damn thing to me." He admitted. Angel frowned still not understanding why he wasn't so honored. Or at least proud of himself. "My grades are fine, so I can skip the finals and still pass the class. I'll graduate with all the rest of yous."

Mark held his breath and shook his head, "No…you won't. It says that you have to take the finals in order to graduate. It's a way to stop the kids who are lazy from…skipping out. If you don't take those finals Collins, you won't graduate."

"What?" Collins balked his jaw dropped, "They can't. They know I'm not one of those kids who wanted to get out of the work. They know that. Our teachers know that."

Roger leaned up against the wall, "It won't matter, man. They don't give a fuck."

Angel looked up at Collins gulping, "Maybe…maybe you could call the school. I could get my parents if you are too shy. My mom will scare them into submission I'm sure…and if that doesn't work…you could…go to college a semester late." Collins knew that she was making sense. That waiting wouldn't be that much of a big deal. But at the same time it would be. Socially, it would be a nightmare. Collins didn't know anyone younger then them, minus Maureen's brother who was in the 5th grade. There would be no one there for him. And the humiliation…Collins didn't want to wait. He couldn't.

"Guys…" He started to say. Mark and Roger raised their eyes, "Can you do me a favor? Bring me my books…I'm sure my mom will let you in."

"Collins." Angel said taken aback, "You can't leave here before they say you can."

"No…" Collins murmured, "I better get healing then…and studying."

A few days later Mrs. Hallander passed out her history final to her students. She was told that Thomas Collins wouldn't be able to attend class, which made the woman feel bitter towards the whole school system. It wasn't fair…but then few things in life were. Collins' friend Mark tapped a pencil on the desk keeping his eye on the door. The history teacher passed him the test and moved towards Roger's desk to see that he was not in it. He was supposed to be back from his suspension.

"Pity." She sighed moving on with her exams.

All of the students raised their heads from their notes to see the door open. It was Roger pushing a wheelchair into the room. Collins was going through his notes with the utmost intensity. Mark smiled deeply and went over to Collins' desk pushing aside his chair. Roger carefully slid his friend up to the desk and then went to his own.

"Sorry we're late…" Roger mumbled taking his own seat.

Mrs. Hallander shook her head, "It's no problem." She gave Roger the test and then Collins. "All right everyone. Eyes on your own papers. Good luck." The students flipped over their papers and started the final.

Collins didn't know every answer. He didn't know most of them. Studying while on morphine was an interesting task. But he was there, taking the exam. And he would pass. That was all that mattered. Getting through. When Mrs. Hallander called for her students to put their pencils down Collins let out a deep sigh of relief. The kids slowly got out of their seats preparing their book bags as the bell rang.

A twitchy girl from the corner headed for the door but paused as she passed behind Collins' desk. She reached out her hand and placed it gently on his shoulder. Collins looked over at her preparing for anything. Anything but what she gave him. A smile. She moved on leaving the room. Then a blonde boy passed the desk and he nodded to Collins. Another girl with cornrows rubbed his back. Another boy with a nose ring tapped Collins' desk, a smile on his face. More and more of his classmates gave the teen small gestures. Perhaps they heard about how he almost didn't get out of the hospital. Or how he almost didn't survive. Either way, they valued him. And for the first time, they valued him for him.

Post Note: Ok I just realized something. There are only two chapters left. (cries). I am really gonna miss writing this fic. Sorry if this chapter kinda had a lot packed in a small amount of space. I'm trying to get as much into these chapters as the story winds down. Hopefully you don't mind. Next Chapter: Tying up loose ends.