I do not own the Power Puff Girls or the Rowdy Ruff Boys.

Chapter Thirty-Three: Back With Us

Butch's behemoth of a body crashed in the forest near the old Lumpkin property. He'd barely pulled himself up out of the ground when Brick landed on him with his good leg. The red Ruff them flipped over him, using his flight powers more than his physical ability. It was then used to hover over the over to keep his weight off it.

When Butch recuperated enough to pull himself out of the ground, his eyes were the yellow of H.I.M. His skin rippled as the demon writhed underneath. H.I.M was finished playing games with these brats. Those wretched Power Puff Girls. His ingrate bastard Rowdy Ruff Boy sons. While he knew he would kill the girls, he wasn't sure he'd wanted to kill the boys. However, with them being so determined to exercise their free will, he'd let them choose to die quickly and painlessly or slowly and full of anguish. If he had to keep one of the boys, he was appreciative of the fact that it was Butch. He was the physically strongest and mentally weakest. Thus, Butch was the easiest to control.

Standing up H.I.M pushed at the barrier of Butch's skin again. The muscles strained to be contained as they grey to increase H.I.M's mass and strength. Brick warily stepped back from the opposing figure. "You're going to destroy his body."

"A necessary evil," H.I.M's garbled out from the nearly dislocated jaw of fangs and abused vocal cords.

The longer Brick stared the less human in shape Butch became. Whatever was left of his brother was quickly disappearing and he needed to act fast. Hoping to stall a bit, Brick blue out a huge breath of fire that quickly surrounded the two of them. When H.I.M clapped Butch's hand and his claw, blowing the flames away, Brick was thrown back. He tried to brace, but fell on his bad leg and collapsed. The shot of Chemical X was always slow to repair bigger injuries, and a bone cut in two was going to take more time than he had available.

H.I.M rushed him and slashed at his side. Brick moved with the strike as best he could, but still was left with three shallow gashes in his side. Brick threw more fire and with his good leg kicked out, throwing H.I.M back. Once Brick had the space to move, he had to throw his hands over his ears as a supersonic yell broke through the air. It grew louder as a blue streak cut across the sky. When Boomer got closer he landed in front of Brick and kept up his sonic Boomer yell until he ran out of breath. Blossom landed on Butch's back and wrapped her legs around his neck. Falling back and pulling with all her strength, Blossom body slammed him face first into the ground. The Pink Puff then dropped her body temperature and blasted Butch with arctic ice, capturing him in a glacier.

When he was completely encased, Blossom pressed her hand against the ice to maintain its solid form. She then turned to Brick and Boomer. "This won't hold him for long."

"Butch is in deep," Brick said before turning to his youngest brother. "We're going to have to go in there and get him."

Knowing what Brick meant, Boomer paled, before a groan escaped him. "Fuck. I hate doing that." Boomer groused before turning to look at Butch. "But I want my brother back." Pulling brick up and supporting him by slinging his arm over his shoulder. He then handed Blossom the dagger, before he started carving a strange symbol into the ice.

"Keep Butch on ice for as long as you can, and keep that dagger at the ready," He then leaned over to press a quick kiss to her lips. He then carved his own symbol into the ice and when he finished, Bomer and Brick simultaneously pressed their hands to the symbol.

It came as no surprise when the red and blue Ruffs were attacked from all around upon entering Butch's mind. Imitations of H.I.M made out of flesh came at Brick and Boomer. The two fought with everything they had, but there was just no relenting in the numbers.

"How are we supposed to find Butch?" Boomer yelled as he ripped the head off an imitation.

Brick just punched a hole through the torso of an imitation when he turned to look around him. "C'mon Butch, give us something."

"Butch is mine now!" H.I.M yelled, the dark baritone of his voice echoing all around them. "There's nothing for him to return to."

Anger surged through Brick and as he turned in a circle. "BUTCH! Where the hell are you, you dumb fuck?!"

"Brick!" Boomer turned to his older brother with an incredulous expression on his face. "That can't honestly be the best you can come up with."

Scowling, he fought his way through more H.I.M imitations. He growled and called on his fire. "Boomer, this is Butch. Snails for brains isn't going to hear us unless we're loud. And I think I'm being more than loud enough, you jackass!" He then made a wall of fire around himself and Boomer, spreading it out to reduce the oncoming horde to ask.

Having a moment to breathe, Boomer turned fully to Brick. "But you know how Butch is when it comes to H.I.M."

"Yes," that effeminate voice spoke, much too close for comfort for the boys. Boomer spun and clenched his fists at the sight of the demon. "Between the three of you, Butch is the least to defy me. He lacks the balls," then his eyes flickered over to Boomer, "and the stupidity."

The blue Ruff almost charged when being called stupid, but he was held off by an arm jutting out in front of him. Brick by contrast was calmer and more collected than he was. "Where is he?

"Soon to be lost to his own darkness. Butch is already no longer present in his own body unless I relinquish control to him. He's a prisoner to his own despair."

"Not completely locked away if you're still here," Brick challenged. If the elder Ruff boy didn't know his mother so well, he would've missed the gleam that shone in his eyes. It was the only tell that gave away his frustration. Meaning there was still enough of Butch to be saved.

With that assurance in mind, Brick tried to remember what he was taught years ago to find Butch's subconscious. That was most likely where his brother was supposed to be. Using his mind he reached out and tried to sense where his brother was supposed to be. For a while all he felt was but he wasn't about to give up. Just as he got a flicker, H.I.M crashed into his metaphysical body. The two tussled and fought bitterly while Boomer fought off H.I.M.

Brick brought his fire into his hands and held them to H.I.M's face. It wasn't so much that the actions hurt, but it surprised him. Rolling over so he was able to pin the demon, he turned to Boomer. "That way. Butch is that way. Go now!

The words were barely out of Brick's mouth when Boomer took off in the direction his brother indicated. When he was swarmed by more copies, Boomer let out a sonic scream that blew the imitations away. With the reprieve, he was able to seek out Butch. When he lost his way, Boomer felt out on his own to see where he could find Butch. "C'mon Butch. Give me something." Boomer felt out and when he didn't feel anything he frowned in frustration. "DAMN IT, BUTCH! Where are you?"

Just then Boomer felt a tug and turned in the direction he felt it. Without a second thought, he turned flew in that direction. He didn't have to worry about getting lost because the closer he got, the more resistance he was met with. When he was worried about getting pushed back Brick was there to help him break through to find their brother.

"Come on Boomer," Brick said as he fought alongside his baby brother.

Boomer didn't respond as he fought with everything he had. The Blue Ruff could feel Butch was close but despite that, he felt faint and was fading fast. "Brick!"

Brick has just tore through another H.I.M when he realized what Boomer was saying. Butch was indeed close, but he barely felt there. That was not a good sign and it chilled Brick to the bone thinking they might be too late. "BUTCH!"

She doesn't love you. She doesn't trust you. She doesn't want to be with you. You've loved her. You've wanted to give her everything. You gave her everything. Your body. Your heart and what did she give you other than grief? Heartache? Pain?

"Pain," Butch murmured as it lanced through his chest and he shuddered as the feel on multiple black hands pulled and tugged at him. He wanted it to just stop. Being angry. Being in pain. Being scared. He hated being scared more than anything. It made him feel like he was weak, and he wasn't weak. "I'm not weak."

"But you are," H.I.M whispered into his pliable son's ear. "Look how easy you made it for me to take what I wanted."

"I didn't," Butch protested weakly. His eyes closed but he blinked them open, not wanting to lose consciousness. "I kept you at bay."

"Maybe, but you were always close," H.I.M said as he urged Butch to lie back into the dark arms of his influence. His resistance was hanging on by a feeble thread. It wouldn't take much to snap it. "Especially with Buttercup near."

"Buttercup?"

"Yes, Buttercup." H.I.M rejoiced in hearing the growing despair in his green themed son's voice. "Your darling wife."

"My wife." He scoffed and his face contorted into a snarl. "Fat lot that meant to her."

"Was she ever truly committed to being your wife?" H.I.M asked his. "Can you say that she loves you as much as you love her?"

The doubt that Butch was usually able to ignore and keep small and insignificant was a beast of its own now. He was always sure of what he felt for Buttercup. When he hated her. When he simply liked fucking with her. When he liked fucking her. When he started to like her. When he started to love her. He was always sure. The one that had doubts about anything was Buttercup. It was always Buttercup. Everything she did was built on a doubt that Butch had to work his damnedest to disprove. "No," he admitted as the darkness started to pull him down.

H.I.M watched from the darkness with a pleased smile on his face. Butch was doing himself in and Brick and Boomer were no closer to finding him. Not that he'd allow them. He'd set off a false trail and had his brothers going in the other direction. Once Butch was eradicated from his mind, he'd destroy Brick and Boomer. It would give him all the pleasure to send their mindless bodies back to Mojo. "There's nothing for you Butch. Your life has fallen apart. No money to support yourself. No wife that loves you. No family. Even your brothers have forsaken you."

"My brothers?" That couldn't be true. They always stuck together. "Brick. Boomer." He tried to sit up but felt the resistance of the hands holding him back.

"Not here," H.I.M growled lowly. "They've left you."

Butch started to shake his head as the memory of his brothers coming for him came to mind. They couldn't have abandoned him. They wouldn't have. "That's not true." His voice was stronger and he pulled harder against the fall into oblivion. "They were there."

H.I.M could feel his control slipping, so he stepped close wrapped his claw around Butch's next. "But where are they now as you suffer?"

Butch didn't have an answer for that and felt himself start to slip when he heard his name faintly being called. "BUTCH, you ass where are you?"

"Brick?" His breath was cut off as the claw tightened around his neck.

"Butch!"

"Boom…er," The pull the darkness had on his loosened, but H.I.M's grip on him tightened.

"Call out to them, and I'll kill them slowly and painfully while you watch," H.I.M promised, watching the fear come back to Butch's emerald eyes. "You know I will Butch."

Butch could hear his brothers calling for him, but they were growing fainter and fainter. He wanted to call out to them but he knew H.I.M would hold true to his word. Fear and his brothers were the best way to control him.

"Butch! Don't you dare give up!" He could hear Brick yelling. "We're coming to get you out of here!"

"Butch, you're the strong one out of us, remember? You can't let H.I.M win." Boomer followed.

The demon holding the green Ruff hostage chuckled darkly. "How admirable that they think so highly of you. You're worthless. You're weak. You've always been weak. I knew it. Buttercup knew it. Mojo knew it. You know it."

"But not them," Butch said with growing conviction. "They never doubted me. I never doubted them." He then pulled himself from the darkness that was holding him down and reached up to grab the claw that threatened to snap his head from his shoulders. Butch grabbed both sides of his claw and pulled with all the strength that he had. The claw was split in two, but it wasn't H.I.M that screamed in pain. Butch held his hand, feeling like he just dislocated his thumb. Looking down, he saw nothing was wrong with his hand, but he sure as hell felt the damage he inflicted.

Butch's monstrous hand had just broken and sent cracks through the ice. Blossom fortified the ice and watched as Brick and Boomer shuddered. Her hand flexed around the dagger in her hand, but she wasn't sure what good she could do. Magic wasn't something she was familiar with. Whatever was going on in Butch's head, she had to trust Brick and Boomer to save their brother.

"I have your mind, but the more you resist me the more damage you'll only inflict on your physical body. So fight away, but know you will kill yourself."

Butch grunted and for a moment felt that fear creep back. He fought it back as he thought about how much damage he could take. He was the strongest of the Rowdy Ruff Boys. He was the Baron of Berserk. He could take a hit and get back up again. Finding his strength, he glared up at his mother and inhaled.

Seeing his intent, H.I.M narrowed his golden eyes at his unusually defiant son. "I will kill them. Their deaths will haunt you and I will keep your consciousness just aware enough to feel the guilt of this for eternity."

The fear rose again, but Butch acted before it could make him cower. "BRICK! BOOMER!"

"Kill them."

The call didn't go unheard. The red and blue Ruffs turned and fought in the direction they heard their brother call. The H. grew more aggressive and went for blood. Boomer narrowly avoided getting his neck lanced open. Brick got grazed in the abdomen. When he was cut across the face to the bone, Brick knew something happened with Butch. "Boomer, let's hurry. He's out for blood."

No more words were spoken as the brothers continued to fight in the direction of the brother. Boomer for a moment feared they were getting turned around, but Butch's consciousness felt stronger than it did before. It was still weak, but strong enough to make him think his brother hadn't fully given up. Even the viciousness of the H.I.M carnations around them proved to spark hope. Now, they just had to manage to not get killed. If their minds got destroyed, then so would their bodies. Slowly would they wither away to nothing, and that wasn't something he wanted to put Bubbles through.

Thinking of his girl, his reason for fighting, made him wonder what held Butch onto to stay. He doubted it was Buttercup. Even on a good day, he found her merely tolerated her. How Butch found himself loving her was beyond him. Still, whatever Butch was holding onto, he hoped he held on just a little longer.

Suddenly one of the H.I.M's got a lucky strike in and raked his claw down Boomer's back. The strike was deep and drew more than its fair share of blood. He yelled out and while stunned was swarmed by the others. They slashed and hacked at him, as he drifted in the nether. Using his pain, he powered his sonic scream and let it out in a bellow that not only blew the demons away but made Brick's ears ring. Once he'd gained then enough space he reached back as much as he could and winced. "Brick."

Flying to his baby brother, Brick inspected his back. It was deep, and blood was thick as it poured from the wound. It was sure to leave a mark on his physical body. It wouldn't be as severe, but if it was any closer to his spine and Boomer's mind would've manifested the sensation making him think it was real. "You're okay. You'll be okay. It's not real."

Boomer shuddered out a breath and nodded. "It's not real."

"Come on. He's close." Brick said, pulling his baby brother along. "I'm not losing you both when we're so close to ending this."

"Will it be over?" Boomer asked. "We thought it was over before, Brick."

The Red Ruff didn't have an answer, but he knew he'd make damn sure that this was the end. He wasn't about to let this sword continue to hang over their heads. As they drew closer to where their brother was, the two of them could hear the battle going on. From the sounds of it, Butch wasn't doing too well. Brick surged forward and sure enough Butch was struggling to stay on his feet. From his prostrate position, black hands grabbed at him and tried to pull him down. He fought against it, but H.I.M landed on his back and slammed his head down. He was breathing harshly and thrashed to no avail.

H.I.M leaned down his black lips right against his ear. "There is no way that you come out of this as the winner. Your body will be mine to control. The Power Puff girls, your brothers, and Mojo will be dead. There will be no one and nothing left but me, so despair. You lose, Butch."

Sinking. Butch was beginning to sink from both the weight of H.I.M and his weakening resolve. He wanted to fight back. He had to, but what was he really fighting for anymore? So his brothers wouldn't die. They were capable of holding their own. For Mojo? The chimp was old, cynical, and no stranger to loss. What was one more? Certainly not Buttercup. She'd all but stomped on his feelings, but only after taking what she wanted from him and fighting when he didn't. Was he even fighting for himself? Yes. No. If he was, why? For the pride of not being weak. But what did that even mean to him?

In a physical sense, he is the strongest. No one could doubt that. Alone he could flatten a city within an hour. He could take one of his brothers in a fight easily. All the girls at once even. When he considered himself weak, it was always when he felt helpless. He was helpless when H.I.M beat them senseless at the tender age of five years old. He could fight back, but he wasn't strong enough to protect himself or his brothers. He felt helpless again when Buttercup turned to the last person she should've ever gone to about private matters in their relationship. It made him think of what he was doing wrong, but did he even do anything?

"Butch!" he heard his brothers call out to him, and he felt relief swell in his chest. Turning his head, he saw his red and blue doubles and huffed out a chuckle.

H.I.M turned as well and glared at the soon to be dead Rowdy Ruff Boys. "As always I have to do things myself." Two arms sprouted from his back and surged toward the interlopers. Brick and Boomer were caught around the neck and pulled up before being brought down to crash into the ground. The wind was knocked out of both boys, but Brick recovered faster. "Let him go." He gasped when H.I.M tightened his claw on Brick's neck.

"I've had it with the lot of you boys. You. Will. DIE!" H.I.M roared, drawing blood and ready to decapitate the boys.

"You can't kill a good thing," Brick smirked with all the bravado he could muster and let his eyes blaze with his laser vision. He started at the claw and ran it up H.I.M's arm and across his chest. He only stopped when he heard Butch screaming.

Boomer looked to his brother with a furrowed brow. "What's happening?"

"Don't worry about me! KILL HIM!" Butch said when he managed to catch his breath. "KILL HIM!"

Boomer hesitated, but Brick had no such qualms. He trusted Butch knew what he was doing and went on the attack with everything he had. He broke free, wincing when Butch screamed, but he pushed on. He was going to end H.I.M and make them free. Never again would a Rowdy Ruff Boy be under the claw of this demon.

While Brick engaged in the fight with H.I.M, Boomer went over to Butch and began to free him from the black arms that were holding him hostage. "Butch? Hey, man. You still with us?"

"Barely," He answered before yelling out again. "He has control of my body, but I still feel everything that happens."

Boomer wracked his own mind, trying to remember the lessons he and his brothers had in magic. Possession was what was happening. Sort of, but the rules should apply in some capacity. "That means he's not fully taken over. It's a shadow possession."

"Which means what again?" Butch asked as he let Boomer pull him out of the darkness that was mostly H.I.M's hold and some of his own insecurities. His face was suddenly thrown to the side and he spat out a mouthful of blood. "Fuck."

"You always sucked at separating yourself. You're too physical." Boomer said before he was yanked away from Butch with a clawed arm around his neck. "Damn it."

Butch rolled over onto his belly and watched as Boomer got wrangled. "Boomer!"

Boomer groaned as the arm winding around him pressed against the gash on his back. He tried to dissociate, but it was difficult. The mind perceived pain and Boomer was in a lot of it. "it's not real. It's not real." As he was convincing himself that the pain he felt was just a figment of his imagination, the noose around his neck tightened and he felt himself struggling to breathe. Just as he was beginning to lose consciousness—something he should never do when in another's mind—he heard a shrill shriek and felt the grip slacken from his neck. Getting his bearings, he saw that Butch had managed to find his strength and had attacked the H. . Between his jaws was the wiry arm, his teeth sunken down deep enough to draw blood. Butch reared his head back and tore the muscle before yelling in pain himself.

Boomer managed to get free and turned to crush the skull of the H.I.M copy before him. When he turned to Butch he saw him clutching his arm thought nothing seemed amiss. "Part of the shadow possession," Boomer concluded. "We need to hurry before Brick kills him—you."

Butch agreed, but he didn't have any idea on how to break him free. No sooner had he thought that Butch felt those black hands tug on him again. He yanked his hands back and tried to steel himself. "Fuck." The hands grabbed him again and he pulled hard as his doubt about getting out of this hell surfaced. "He's not going to let me go."

"Butch, don't—." His plea for his brother to hold fast was cut short as Brick slammed into the two of them.

Temporarily dazed despite his dissociation, Brick took a moment to bring himself back up and looked to his brothers. Boomer nodded his head to show he was fine, but Butch sighed defeatedly. When he got tugged again, Brick grabbed him from under the arms and pulled hard. Butch yelled out in pain and the hands resisted and scratched at his arms. "Butch, don't do that. We can only help you so much. We're here, but you got to want to get out of this."

Butch looked over his shoulder at his brother with an exhausted expression. "I want to, but…he won't let me go so easily."

"Nothing worth fighting for was ever easy, now get your ass up." Brick pulled his brother up until there were in a standing position. "He's not stronger than us Butch. He needs us, remember?"

Boomer managed to get to his feet and supported Butch on his other side. "You're right. He needs us. He's always needed us."

A deep growl drew the boys' attention. H.I.M was his large demonic self and leaning towards them. "Since when have I ever needed you three. You three needed me. If not for me, you'd be dead. Squished after being reduced to crying babies at the hands of three little girls. You're nothing."

"So you say," Brick challenged. "Butch, it has to be you. Come on."

"Right, as if Butch can leave. We've already hashed out that there's nothing for him. Mojo cut him off. You two are living your own lives. His wife abandoned him. What cruel brothers you are to make him go back to that." H.I.M looked right at Butch and watched his face fall. "You yourself know it, Butch. You're constantly fighting and for what? Only to get beaten down again and again. You think you're strong, but you are far from it."

"Don't listen to him," Boomer urged. "Forget about all that. You don't have to do anything for us or anyone else for that matter."

H.I.M let out a low bellowing laugh. "Right, as if the idiot between the three of you has any merit to his words."

The proclaimed idiot was about to prove his mother right by charging, triggered by the insult when he felt his elder brother reach around to prevent his advance. "Boomer."

Following his eyes, as they were downcast, Boomer jumped back at the black hands that tried to drag him down alongside Butch. "Bastard."

"Like I said, the idiot," H.I.M said. "This ends now." With a roar, H.I.M charged at the boys. Brick and Boomer managed to fly but Butch couldn't gain any air. Rather than leave their brother. The two dropped down in front of him and braced for impact.

Seeing them like that, Butch remembered when they were five and H.I.M was coming for them. He saw their fight last year and each time, he hung back. Wasn't the first to strike. Still hesitating. Still afraid. Hiding behind his brothers. He couldn't do that. Not this time. Not when they were here fighting for him. Risking their souls for his. There had to be a time when he acted first and not last when it come to their mother. Just as H.I.M would've crashed into his Brick and Boomer, Butch wretched himself free of the black hands holding him and broke through his brothers. He stood in front and braced for impact.

The ice surrounding Butch broke from the inside. Blossom along with Brick and Boomer were thrown back. She crashed through a few trees before cracking her head against a boulder and falling unconscious. Brick and Boomer were still unconscious but roused slowly. Brick groaned in pain as his leg fell from its brace. "Fuck." If he wasn't careful, it's would take the typical human healing period of six months to heal his femur. "Boomer?"

"I'm fine." Boomer groaned as he rolled over onto his belly to try to push himself up, only to flop forward on his face. He managed to turn his face so he could see his brother not too far away from him. "Not fine. What happened?"

"Butch…Butch…where is he?" Brick looked up just in time to see his little brother's monstrous body thrashing through the woods. "Shit."

"What?" Boomer tried to move but felt that he was much too sore for the effort needed.

"He stepped in front of us. He met H.I.M head on. We got thrown out." Brick said as he saw Butch evolve from thrashing to beating himself. "He's fighting back."

Butch then ran headfirst into the tree and slammed his head into it repeatedly before the trunk gave way. As the tree fell, Butch dropped to his knees slammed his head into the ground, and hard enough to crater the surface.

"We have to get H.I.M out before he kills himself," Brick said looking for Blossom. She had the dagger. "Blossom?"

He turned his head and saw her lying at the base of a boulder unmoving. A worried x-ray proved she was fine, just knocked out. Mustering up the strength to float, he hovered over to where she lied and looked over her. Resisting the urge to move her, he ran his fingers over her cheek wincing when he saw blood from the cut on her face. He saw the dagger and quickly grabbed it before placing a quick kiss on her cheek.

"It's almost over, Cherry. I promise."

"BRICK!" Boomer called. He was being dragged along the ground by Butch with his good hand. "Help!"

"Shit," Flying toward his brother, Brick put the dagger between his teeth and threw two punches before he was swatted slash body slammed into the ground with Boomer as the swatter. Chest to chest the two knocked heads. Brick glared at Boomer who tried to shrug but had to forcibly shove him off to roll in the opposite direction to avoid the double fist slam that came from Butch. While he rolled, he grabbed the dagger and tried to strike, but he just barely nicked him. The yell he let out was so enraged and loud, that even Boomer winced. However, Brick's focus was on the cut he'd just made. Rather than red, what flooded out was black. Much like that ooze they vomited for a week when H.I.M first purged itself from their bodies. H.I.M was clinging onto Butch, but their Baron of Berserk brother was fighting back.

Using his flight powers, Brick put himself upright and raised the dagger poised to strike. Butch turned his way with his eyes flickered back and forth between his green and yellow. "Brick, help me."

"I'm going to, just hang on." He promised. "C'mon H.I.M. Come at me."

Rightfully goaded, H.I.M charged at Brick. He slashed out with his claw first knocking the dagger from Brick's hand and then swung upwards throwing Brick back. When he slammed into a tree, H.I.M held him there with an elbow under his chin blocking his air. "You won't live to see me destroy everything that you hold dear, Brick. I'm going to start with Blossom. Kill her painfully slow and then I'm going to find your son. I thought about keeping him around as a vessel, but if he's anything like you. I'm better off cutting my losses now."

Brick felt red hot rage burn through him, but he didn't get the chance to strike as one came from behind. Flecks of ice shot around Brick, leaving him with an icy chill that kissed his skin. H.I.M turned and was caught in the face by the dagger. It left a cut across Butch's face and would've taken his eye out if it had been an inch or two higher. Brick dropped to the ground, his weight landing on his bad leg and he collapsed with a yell. Above him, he heard the fight going on with Butch yelling and Blossom fighting like a wasp back and forth with her strikes. Ice covered her body and she made it thick and sharp enough to cut skin. Unlike with the dagger, Butch bled red.

"This is fruitless Blossom," H.I.M said between strikes. "You're not strong enough to stop me."

The ice Puff chuckled, "Not trying to stop you. Just distract you."

"What?"

Blossom grew ice all over her body and threw her entire body into the punch that landed on his cheek. The force left him disorientated and spun him around so he could face Brick and get pulled down onto the dagger. Butch gasped as the blade slide easily between his ribs. He looked down at the dagger embedded in him before letting out a howling demonic yell. Blossom threw her hands up over her ears and watched as Brick held steady.

H.I.M wrapped Butch's clawed hand around Brick's neck as he tried to fight, but he was growing weaker by the second. The transformation was reversing. Every H.I.M like quality bled away. The splotches of red skin the yellow in his eyes, the pinkish hair, bulging muscles, and claw pulled back. As he looked more and more human, Brick held him up and slowly slid the dagger out of him. Once he'd regained his human form, he slumped against his brother. "I've got you." Or so he thought before his strength ran out and the two fell to the ground in a heap.

Blossom had helped Boomer to his feet and led him over to his brothers. "Is it over?"

Brick waved the dagger weakly. Its blade was swirling black with the remaining of H.I.M's essence. "Yeah." He looked down as much as he was able at his little brother. "Butch?"

The toughest Ruff didn't say anything, but he threw his arm back. He made a gesture for Boomer to get closer. Boomer urged Blossom to bring him forward and once she was, Butch reached blindly until he could grab his wrist and pulled him down. Boomer slipped off Blossom's shoulder and was added to the heap. The middle brother then wrapped his arms and squeezed as tightly as he could.

"Butch, that hurts," Boomer complained feeling all his aches and pains throb, particularly on his back.

"Shut up," his mutter was muffled with his face being buried between his brothers. They were quiet until a poorly concealed sniffle sounded. He felt his brothers share a look over his head and squeezed them tighter. "Just shut up."

That seemed to be enough to set Boomer off. It started out as laughter before they turned into silent sobs. When his tears started he wrapped his own arm around his brother and hugged him back, despite the pain he felt with the action. Brick shuddered out a breath and rolled his eyes. A sniff of his own belayed his own stoic demeanor as a few fear tears of his own fell. "Crying like a bunch of babies."

Blossom let the boys have their moment as she hung back and let out a breath of relief. Still, she couldn't ignore them crying and felt her own heart clench. When her own tears began to fill her eyes and quickly wiped them away. She'd watch until they were finished before carrying them home to get patched up.

Bubbles was pacing the living room in a tight circle. On the couch was Mojo and he watched her go back and forth. If she were any of the other girls, he would've told her to sit down. That wasn't an option with Bubbles. She looked out the window growing more and more worried as the sky grew from dusk to night. She kept looking out the window nibbling more and more on her nails.

The professor was carrying a tray of hot drinks for the group. Mojo saw him first and readily took a drink. The warmth from the first eager sip he took gave a bit of much needed comfort, but it was short lived. He went to take another sip and sighed heavily. The professor walked over to his youngest and placed a hand on her back, pausing her pacing. She turned to him and shook her head. "Bubbles."

"I can't," She whimpered. "Not until I know what's happened."

"Brick and Boomer won't let anything happen to their brother," Mojo informed them as he looked down into his cup. "Their bond is tighter than the one you and your sisters hold. They'll be fine."

The statement was so matter of fact, that Bubbles and the professor nearly missed the stressed pinch around his eyes and mouth. He was just as worried if not more so for his sons. He lost them before, and almost lost them last year. Now here he was again worried if he'd lose them. Brick and Boomer had broken free, but he knew if they lost Butch, they'd never recover.

"Blossom is also with them. You know she'll do whatever she can to help them." The professor said just as a shadow passed over the ground.

Looking out the window, Bubbles let out a relieved cry as she saw Blossom land. She had Butch draped over her back with Brick and Boomer over her shoulders. Bubbles nearly ripped the door off its hinges as she went to help Blossom carry the boys in. The professor followed along with Mojo to help as well. Bubbles immediately went for Boomer, but he weakly waved her off toward Butch. She hesitated until he saw how mangled he was. She carefully pulled him off Blossom's back and carried him in. Mojo and the professor took Boomer in while Brick hung back with Blossom. "What?"

Brick shook his head and used his arm draped over her shoulders to tilt her face up to steal a hot and heavy kiss. He managed to push his tongue into her mouth and get a good taste of her. "I just wanted to get some of my Cherry." He then leaned his forehead against hers and sighed heavily. "I fought H.I.M the entire time. Knowing I had to save my brothers and come back for you and Blazing Coal kept me from getting pulled under. You've got to know how much I love you, Cherry."

Blossom smiled and tilted her head to peck him back on his lips. "I love you too, Peaches. Now let's get you inside so we can fix your leg."

"Yeah," he agreed, hobbling rather than flying since he was so tired. "When can we go get Coal?"

"I'll go get him after you're settled," the young mother assured. "He's going to go happy to see you."

Brick nodded, before looking up at the light windows that he knew were the girls' rooms. "Keep Buttercup away from Butch for now."

Blossom didn't bother asking for an explanation. She was more than aware that the two had been fighting, but she wasn't sure what broke the camel's back. If the pink Puff were to guess, it might have something to do with the supposed pregnancy. She saw the blood, but her sister believed it was her period. To Blossom, there was way too much blood for it to be just that. No matter what proved to be true, it was between Butch and Buttercup now. All she could do was try to be a support to her sister while Brick was one for his brother.