Hey I finally did something while on my spring break!

Chapter 9 -

It was the next day when Thomas woke up with a wet rag on his head. Soon, he noticed the medicine on the bedside table and took it. Once he got the medicine in him, he slowly got up with the blanket wrapped around him.

Taking his time, he walked down the steps with the blanket around him, giving him some warmth. He hoped no one was inside, but knowing Mordecai and Rigby, they probably were.

And he was right. As he stumbled into the living room, he saw them playing video games. Margaret and Eileen weren't with them so he figured they went back to work or home. How long was he out for?

"Hey, Thomas." Mordecai turned to him when he heard him come down the stairs, "How are you feeling?"

"Alright." Thomas coughed. "Just going to get something to eat and drink."

"Okay. Your mom brought more soup over so it should be on the counter." Mordecai replied and went back to the video game.

"Thanks…" Thomas said and turned to walk into the kitchen.

Once he got some soup and water, he sat down at the table and began to eat.

"When will I get better?" He asked himself with another cough. "I just wanna go home already and not feel like crap all day."

Sighing, he began to play with the spoon and soup out of boredom.

"Okay….thank you, mam." Skips hung up the phone in his house.

He was talking to Thomas' mom about things that he wondered about.

And what he found out made him feel sad for Thomas. His mother mentioned how when he was younger his father died, and of course they were extremely close.

Not to mention how a few years ago, Thomas stopped talking to someone he used to be best friends with because he found a new group of friends in high school who weren't very friendly to Thomas.

"Well, that explains your trust issues…." Skips muttered as he walked outside and over to an cart he had finished working on.

He knew Thomas probably wasn't going to be happy with him knowing this stuff. But he figured if Thomas knew he at least had one person to rely on then maybe he will open up more to the others.

Just as Skips had skipped into the house, Thomas was just starting on his way back upstairs to sleep some more since he couldn't do much else.

"Thomas, can I talk to you?" Skips asked and glanced over to the living room to see Mordecai and Rigby. "Alone?"

"Uh…." Thomas thought for a moment. "…Sure."

Skips nodded and led the way to the guest room to talk to Thomas.

"What's this about, Skips?" Thomas asked as he sat on the bed and Skips sat down beside him.

"I, well, I talked to your mom." Thomas stared up at him, confused.

"About what?" Thomas worried he already knew what it was about.

"About your dad…and what happened when you were in high school."

"That's what I thought you were gonna say." Thomas looked down and wrapped the blanket tighter around himself.

"I'm sorry….about your dad." Skips rubbed his back slowly.

"Thanks." Thomas sighed and let out a few coughs into his arm.

"If you don't mind me asking, what happened to that friend you were close with before high school?" Skips asked.

"Well…" Thomas started. "One day during freshman year, my old best friend Mark was in the gym practicing basketball with the team and I had came to tell him how my mom got a new job and that I might be able to get a new video game console because of it."

"But the rest of the team were jerks and called me names and told Mark to tell me to 'Fuck off' and to do his three pointer." Thomas continued and looked down to the floor.

"So he told me to leave and after that I said 'bye' and did just that. But those guys really influenced him because that was just the start of what he was going to do to me all of high school."

Skips remained silent the whole time.

"Thanks to him I have really bad trust issues and don't want to risk getting close to someone only for them to ditch me in the end for someone else. Stupid, I know."

"It's not stupid." Skips replied. "He hurt you and it caused you to not be able to trust anyone afterwards. If that's how he treated you then you are better off without him."

"I guess. I just wish high school had been better, yah know?" Thomas asked, looking at him now.

"Believe me, I know." Skips chuckled. "But it's done and over with and now you have us to be your friends who you can trust and rely on."

"Muscle Man says otherwise." Thomas rolled his eyes.

Skips mentally face palmed himself. He had forgotten how much of a jerk Muscle Man always is to Thomas and was sure it brought back some nasty flashbacks for him to go through again.

He was going to have to talk to Muscle Man later.

"Well, he treats everyone like that. Just mainly you since you're still new here. But trust me, he means well." Skips replied.

"I guess." Thomas coughed again.

Skips decided that was enough of a talk and didn't want to push the conversation any farther for Thomas' sake. Plus Skips wanted Thomas to get some rest too.

"Why don't you get some sleep while I get back to work." Skips said, getting up. "I'll check on you later."

"Okay." Thomas nodded slowly. "See yah."

"Bye." Skips waved and headed out before shutting the door behind him.

As Skips skipped down the hall, he heard Muscle Man and HFG in the computer room, laughing. Skips decided now was a good time to talk to them about treating Thomas better.

"Guys?" Skips knocked and skipped in.

"Hey, Skips." Fives grinned.

"What are you doing?" Skips asked.

"Watching funny videos." Muscle Man said, turning to him. "Wanna-"

"No thanks." Skips cut him off. "I need to talk to you about Thomas."

"What about the starter pack?" Muscle Man asked, going back to the videos, uninterested in Skips now.

"You need-" Muscle Man turned up the volume. "To treat…"

Furious that Muscle Man wasn't paying any attention to him, he skipped up, grabbed the computer, and threw the computer against a wall.

"Hey-" Muscle Man started as Fives looked shocked and confused.

"Listen to me, Muscle Man." Skips said then turned to HFG. "You too, Fives but I don't need to worry about you too much."

"About what, Skips?" Fives asked.

Skips sighed.

"Muscle Man, I want you to treat Thomas better. Especially right now since he's sick." Skips replied.

"Why though? Other then him being sick." Muscle Man asked. "I'll give him a break but once he starts feeling better then the break is over!"

"NO!" Skips yelled then quieted his voice, "Leave him alone for good. I can't tell you why but trust me, he doesn't need you treating him like he's lower then dirt all day, every day."

"Okay, Skips." Fives, still confused on the situation said. "We'll treat him better."

"I know you will, Fives. But I need to hear that from him." Skips looked to Muscle Man.

"I still don't get what the big deal is but fine…." MM groaned. "I'll treat him better and not prank him as much, alright?"

"Yes. Thanks." Skips nodded. "Now us three should probably get back to work."

"Yeah, okay." Fives smiled.

Once Skips left and was out of earshot, Muscle Man began to speak to Fives about something devious.

"Oh I so need to think of a good prank for Thomas now." MM laughed.

"What?" Fives stared at his best friend.

God dammit Muscle Man!