The house felt rather empty without Rudy in it. That was something that both Tabooties took notice of as they arrived home. Even after spending a few hours, getting dinner ready and getting ready for bed later on, it still clung to their minds. Things just seemed so hauntingly different with their son missing.

Mrs. Tabootie tried to calm herself down by repeating in her head over and over again that she didn't really lose Rudy. He was going to come home soon. Was it tomorrow? A few days? She couldn't quite remember. But she knew that, sooner or later, he would come home and he would be fine. He'll most likely get his eyesight back as well, according to the doctors.

That still didn't fully eliminate the bad taste in her mouth, though. That didn't make her forget the fact that her son was still badly injured. She couldn't just let it go so easily. How could she? The screams still echoed in her head and she could feel her blood running cold. It was as though someone had placed chilling ice in her veins. As the seconds passed, this only seemed to grow worse and worse.

She looked over and stared at her husband. He wasn't fairing much better, either. Even seeing the sports and his teams winning wasn't enough to make him smile. He didn't even pay much attention to it nor did he seem to enjoy dinner all that much. Frankly, neither could she. The memories of her son being put in that situation still haunted them. She had a feeling it would continue to be like this even well after Rudy was home and recovered.

She couldn't help but feel immensely guilty about the whole thing. She knew that her husband felt the same way as well. They both had been asked by Rudy for help and they hadn't really tried to help their son. They were busy doing their own thing, and then this happened and...

Mrs. Tabootie shut her eyes tightly, feeling hot tears moving down her face. She couldn't believe that she actually thought putting up the laundry was more important than her son's help. Didn't he just want to ask a question? Something told her that it was so small, so quick, that she could have answered his question and get back to work. Or heck, she could have had him ask it while she was putting away the clothes. Why didn't she think about that?

Beause she was too focused, that's why. She was too intent on doing her own work that she didn't bother to take a step back and look at the whole picture. And because of that, she played a role in what happened to Rudy.

She wondered if her husband thought the same way. He had been focused on writing down scores, apparently. Did he feel the same amount of guilt that she did? Did he feel anger at himself for not answering a quick question that probably wouldn't have intervened in writing down some stupid scores? It was possible, but she kept her mouth shut on it. She did not want to press him.

However, there were other things on her mind. The two of them were still reeling from their interactions with that one doctor and the officer in the town's police station. The two of them had already felt so guilty before. But those two just managed to make it a whole lot worse.

And it went beyond simply making them feel guilty. There was another area of focus that they could not simply ignore. They expected to be scolded, but they did not expect the law to potentially come into play.

Mrs. Tabootie nor her husband knew what to expect with this. It made her heart nearly stop beating at the very idea that she and and Joe might be charged with a felony or something along those lines. She could feel her body shudder and she had to fight against her churning stomach to avoid vomiting all over the place. She could tell that her husband was having similar troubles, as evidenced by him constantly rubbing his stomach.

This was certainly dark times for the two of them. They never expected to suffer legal consequences from this. If they were successfully imprisoned, what would that mean for Rudy? How would this change their relationship with him? What would happen if they were no longer able to care for him?

This situation forced both of them to really think about their relationship with their son. They hadn't thought of it as an issue before. But after those two talks... Mrs. Tabootie bit her lip as she recalled a few times when they weren't exactly the best of parents. She tried to shrug it off as them being human, and humans make mistakes, right?

But when those mistakes have hurt people, or could have hurt people...

The large woman knew that she and Joe were in for quite the fight of their lives. If the doctor found enough evidence, if the officer deemed it necessary to drag them into court or whatever would be required, then they would have no choice but to get ready for what was about to come. She could only hope that things would work out and they could pretend that none of this ever happened. But if there was one thing that she learned...things were never that simple.

Even if they did escape a fine or imprisonment, the fight wouldn't be over. Indeed, the neighbors would likely try to pull something. She and her husband would need to prepare for that.

sss

A small hiss escaped his mouth as the medicine was applied. He could feel a wave of stinging pain moving along his face and he could feel his lower lip quivering. He tried not to allow any tears to form and he managed to fight them back surprisingly well. But he still had to keep himself tense in order to avoid accidentally crying out; the pain continued to linger.

He steeled himself as medicine was applied yet again, this time on the other side. He knew that this procedure was necessary. The nurse was being as gentle as she could, but there was no way that he would have not felt anything. His eyes were still damaged and even opening them hurt like nothing he had felt before.

At least it was over and he could finally relax. Or at least, try to. He leaned further back against the hospital bed, feeling the thin sheets crackle under his pressure. He moved the blanket over him further and tried to adjust himself to get comfortable. He took in a deep breath and he let out a sigh. Just to make sure he whispered, "Is it over?"

"Yes, you did very well." The nurse replied. There was a bit of rustling as she prepared to leave. After reapplying and tightening the bandages against the boy's eyes, the nurse continued, "Dr. Bendor will be with you shortly."

Rudy asked, "Why does he want to see me?"

The nurse might have shrugged, considering he heard something rubbing against his nearby equipment. "He has some questions he would like to ask you. Don't worry; he'll be here shortly."

Rudy didn't say a word as the nurse began to leave the room. He could hear the door swinging open and closed, leaving him once again in dark silence. Rudy had started to get a little used to it. Not too much; he still felt some nervousness given how he can't see anything around him. He did his best to settle himself down, and unlike last night, this time it came a little easier for him.

It wasn't like he was entirely alone. It wasn't too quiet for too long. This was a hospital, after all. Even if it was irregular, he did hear people moving down the hallways. Sometimes fast and sometimes slow, but ultimately there was activity. These noises, no matter how small, were comforting to him in a way. It helped remind him that he was truly not lost in a dark abyss. The world around him did not leave. He just...couldn't see it.

While he waited for Dr. Bendor to show up to speak with him, Rudy took the time to reflect on how this would affect his art skills. He told himself that it would only be temporary, which is what kept him calm. The idea of him losing the ability to use his skills, to not be able to create art... That scared him. He didn't want to be placed in that situation. He did not want to have to give up on something that he loves so much.

Yet he knew that there was still a chance that it could happen. Something might change and he might end up having some permanent damage done. Due to his stupidity and unwillingness to wait, he may have cost himself more than just a hospital trip. He might have just ruined the path that he wanted to take forever, with no way out.

The idea chilled his blood and made him feel sick. An intense feeling overcame him. Powerlessness became the dominating feeling. There was little that he could do to fight back. He felt his fingers tightening up against each other, his heart pounding agains this chest. He could feel the world spinning around him and, unable to see, he was forced to go along for the ride. It was not a pleasant feeling and he ended up gripping his bed out of fear of falling as a result.

But overriding that was his fear regarding his artistic ability. He wanted to be able to draw. He wanted to create. He wanted to paint and sketch and make comics for people to read. It was his passion. It was something that he loved so much. If this damage ended up permanent in some way, that could severely compromise his skills. The thought was nearly enough to make him lose his lunch. He was surprised that he managed to hold it in.

His thoughts were shifted away from that when he heard the door opening up. He managed to keep his head from turning this time, instead focusing on listening to the footprints themselves. Heavier, longer strides. Obviously a man. This must be Dr. Bendor.

"Hello, Rudy Tabootie. I'm Dr. Bendor..." Yep he was right. "...and I'm here to ask you a few questions, if you don't mind."

Rudy weakly motioned his hand to one side. "Sure, go ahead." At this point, considering the damage to his eyes, a few questions didn't really bother him all that much. How bad could they possibly be?

"All right then." The doctor moved some papers around, likely looking for what he wanted to start with. Rudy remained silent and waited for the first question. "It's about what happened to you."

Rudy let out a small sigh. "It was my fault. I was pretty clumsy. Plus, my parents said they were going to help. I just...wasn't patient enough, I guess." Rudy didn't like being reminded of his stupidity. But he had a feeling that he was going to have to get used to it. He had brought it on himself. "I should have just waited."

"Yes, I'm aware of that. At least, my chat with your parents led me to think something like that."

"Then why are you asking?"

"It wasn't originally supposed to be me talking anyway. But the person who was meant to see you today for an inter...interview I mean, couldn't make it. So I'm filling in."

Rudy took notice of how the man seemed to stutter at interview. He wanted to just brush it off, but something about that just felt a little...strange to him. He felt his eyes furrowing slightly, stopping only due to the pain. "What exactly did you want to talk to me about, then? If not on how this happened..."

Dr. Bendor was pretty blunt with a response. "It's regarding your parents."

Rudy could feel himself freezing slightly at that statement. He could already feel a slight burning sensation in his chest. But despite that, he steeled himself and managed to ask, "What about them?"

"Forgive me if this sounds a bit...unusual of a question for me to ask, but..." The doctor paused for a moment. Rudy could detect the hesitation in his voice. He could tell that he was not used to doing something like this. Yet he still somehow managed to resolve himself to do it. "Have you had any...issues with them?"

Rudy felt his body stiffening yet again. This time, it was harder to full relax. If he could see, he would be staring at the doctor in shock before narrowing his eyes at him. "What's that supposed to mean...?" Rudy hissed softly. He could feel his body bristling at the mere assumption that his parents... "Are you accusing my parents of something?"

"Oh no, that's not what I..." Dr. Bendor quickly retracted himself. He cleared his throat and he spoke in a slightly gentler voice. "What I mean is... Since they left you... Er, I mean, since they trusted you enough to do this on your own, I was just wondering if there were any other times when they trusted you in a weird situation."

Rudy tilted his head to the side. "Depends on what you mean by weird."

"That is true." The doctor agreed. "Would you be able to describe anything to me?"

Rudy wasn't really sure what to say to this. A part of him couldn't help but feel skeptical about this. He didn't like the doctor's attitude or the way that he was talking about his parents. He didn't like what he was insinuating. Though maybe Rudy himself was just overreacting. Maybe it wasn't as bad as he wanted to think that it was.

In the end, though, Rudy knew that not answering might lead to more problems. If this doctor really thought that something was going on, the lack of an answer might make him think that he was silenced by his parents or something. And he didn't want Dr. Bendor to think something like that. So as much as it made him feel uncomfortable, he still ended up giving a reply.

"Well there was one time when we went to the Roman Colosseum and my parents let me explore on my own for a while." Rudy said.

Dr. Bendor was incredulous. "You mean to tell me...your parents let you wander around a tourist site, a popular one with many visitors at that, alone?" He paused as though to let that sink in slowly in his head. "How long did they...?"

Rudy tried to remember. He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "I think it was around..." He held his hand up in gesture. "Maybe an hour?"

"What?!" Dr. Bendor spluttered. "An hour?!" He quickly settled himself down. Rudy could hear him brushing himself off. "Sorry about that." He cleared his throat. "So your parents let you around the Roman Colosseum by yourself. Because they felt confident that you would be fine?"

Rudy actually wasn't sure of the answer. But he did want this to be the answer. He hoped that was the reason. He did believe in his parents. He held a lot of trust in them. Nothing this man would say would make him feel differently about them. He simply nodded his head silently.

Dr. Bendor made a few scratching sounds. It was clear that he was writing something down. Rudy could feel his stomach tying into tight knots as he realized that this was probably going to be sent to...whoever was going to talk to him initially. Rudy swallowed hard and reminded himself to be careful of what he said. He did not want to give the wrong impression.

"Is there anything else that you could tell me?" The man asked. "Anything that you think might be noteworthy?"

Rudy tried to think of an answer. He tried to think of some way to get this doctor to see his parents not as monsters, but as people who do love him and do have a lot of trust in him. Rudy knew that it was his fault alone that this happened to him. He didn't want Dr. Bendor or anyone else to be placing blame on his parents. After all, they were the ones who told him to wait. He should have listened to them.

Rudy searched his memory for any point in time that could be used in his parents' defense. There had to be something that he could bring up. Anything at all to derail this from the path that it was currently on. But unfortunately, this took more effort than he would have liked. He must have looked suspicious to Dr. Bendor.

He thought of something. He wasn't sure if it would work or not, but maybe it would be enough to sway the doctor. "There was one time when we were taken to Dr. Von Doktor's lab..."

"...why were you taken there?" The doctor asked. "Isn't he a bit of a quack?"

Rudy nodded his head. "He asked us weird questions."

"I'm sure your parents were quite upset." Said Dr. Bendor.

"No, actually they weren't upset at all." Rudy rubbed the back of his head. "I was surprised, bu they were pretty chill about the whole thing. Even though the house was raided and we were taken against our will and Dr. Von Doktor focused a lot on me... My parents didn't mind. They were trusting of the whole thing. They knew that I would be fine."

"...so let me get this straight. Your parents let some strange madman take them and you to his lab, without prior consent, and they showed no concern whatsoever when this same person wanted to speak to you exclusively?" Dr. Bendor didn't sound very convinced that his parents meant no harm. If anything, he was starting to sound as though he was further convinced otherwise. Rudy couldn't think of a response right then. "Is there anything else you care to tell me?"

Rudy could feel his heart racing against his chest. Oh no.. I was making things worse... He didn't mean to do this. He just wanted to clear his parent's name. But in the process, it would seem that he was just digging them a bigger hole. He struggled to think of something to say to make up for it. There had to be something else that he could talk about. Something that just might...

"B-But my parents really are confident in me! I swear! They knew I wouldn't have gotten hurt and that I would be fine! That's why they didn't show any concern!" Rudy stopped himself when he said that. Despite the context that he was trying to give, he knew the use of that phrase was going to sound really bad to someone else. He could just feel Dr. Bendor narrowing his eyes further. He struggled to think of something to say in defense of his parents. "You don't understand... I..."

Dr. Bendor cut him off. "I have a pretty good understanding. If you feel that I don't, then by all means, tell me something else."

Rudy hesitated to respond. In his panic, he was finding it increasingly difficult to figure out what to say to help defend his parents. He tried to think of another incident that would help. But as desperation rose inside of him, his body shaking with adrenline, he let himself slip something out. And it turned out to be a huge mistake.

"I remember one time, I fell out of the window and straight onto the car."

"You what?!"

"We were going on a family trip. It was pretty padded. I didn't hit anything hard."

"Did you parents do anything at least? Did they call the hospital to make sure that you were all right?"

Rudy realized what a mistake it was to bring this up. He couldn't lie about this. In his state, it would be difficult to do that, plus Dr. Bendor might call for records to make sure that he was being truthful. The only option that he had was to just tell the truth; it was the less suspicious route, even if it was not ideal. "...n-no... They were...fine... They saw I wasn't hurt and..." His voice trailed off.

Dr. Bendor remained silent for a few moments. The silence caused Rudy to twitch in anxiety. He had no idea what to expect from this man. It felt like an eternity passed before Dr. Bendor made any sort of response. "...I see..." Rudy flinched at that statement. It was clear something clicked and not in a good way. "I should get going. I do thank you for your time, Rudy Tabootie."

Rudy remained silent as he heard the doctor walking away. Almost hastily at that, as though he had somewhere he needed to be quickly. Rudy could hardly hear the door shutting as guilt started to wash over him. He felt even sicker and more dizzy than before. He struggled to keep his breathing as normal as possible, but he couldn't stop the words from echoing in his mind.

It didn't take him long to realize exactly what transpired. He had just given this doctor the ammo that he needed to accuse his parents of... Rudy shook his head and gripped it tightly. Despite the pain, he squinted his eyes shut more family, struggling to keep breathing. He had tried to spare his parents the accusations, but all he did was potentially made this words. If he had just tried harder...

Oh no... What had he done...?