Aiko: wow. Last chapter already!

Chi: Yeah. This's really flown by, huh?

Aiko: I'll say. But did you really have to include that weird song?

Chi: DAVID BOWIE IS A FREAKING CLASSIC!

Aiko: But it doesn't really have any relav-

Chi: DO NOT QUESTION MEEEE!

Aiko: -.-; ANYWAYS, enjoy the final chapter

Chi: And don't hate us, pleeease! X3

"Get up."

"I don't want to," Jokey retorted.

"Get the FUCK up." Tobias snarled, jabbing a foot hard into Jokey's stomach.

"Ow!" Jokey protested. "Come on, let me rest. Besides, it's over, we aren't getting out anytime soon."

"This ISN'T over," Tobias snarled. "I need you to write something, a lot." his amber eyes narrowed dangerously. "And if you don't... I'LL prank YOU."

"Smurf, you're bossy," Jokey spat. "Geez, what do you want? What am I supposed to do? We're locked in this room with no way out, genius."

"Not for long we wont be." Tobias looked paranoid, scared even. "That Papa smurf'a yours is about to send you on the long road right to the noose."

"What do you mean? He won't kill me."

Tobias glared at Jokey, all the fear in his eyes. "WON'T he? I heard him talking after you pussed out and went to sleep." Tobias shook his head, "unless we get you out of here, you're dead meat, Jokey."

"Okay, then, riddle me this, smart one: how the Smrf are we SUPPOSED to get out?!"

"Make an excuse for others to get IN." Tobias replied, "Write on the walls. Scare them. Make them scared of you. It'd be just as good as pranking, AND it'll give the perfect opportunity to escape."

"Okay, okay. But what to do you want me to write? 'Judgment Day is coming'?" Jokey snorted at the very thought.

"ANYthing," Tobias shrugged, "just something creepy."

Jokey slowly stood, looking around. "What should I write with?" He demanded of Tobias.

"ANYTHING," Tobias looked agitated, nervous, "Just fucking WRITE!"

Jokey rolled his eyes. "WOW, you hold up GREAT under pressure." He found a sort of icepick in the corner and then began hacking the names of the Smurfs who had captured him into the walls.

"I don't do well in a box, Jokey." Tobias spoke warningly. "it DOES things to ya."

After a short time of carving, the ice pick like item broke. broke badly enough it couldn't be used anymore. "CRAP." Tobias hissed, then glared at Jokey. "YOU need to keep writing. It's YOUR fault we're here, Jokey!"

"Right, because I'm TOTALLY stronger than Hefty and able to withstand Papa's drugs," Jokey said sarcastically. "Just help me find something if you're so desperate to get out of here!"

Tobias looked frustrated and agitated. "There IS nothing here! The only thing you COULD use anymor is-" Tobias had a disturbed smile at the thought.

"What? Tell me," Jokey demanded angrily.

"Gimmie your hand." Tobias said, still smiling.

"Why? What for?" Jokey asked, though he extended his had to Tobias.

Without another word, Tobias hastily grabbed his hand, using the already short fingernail on his index finger to start scratching the wall, crudely carving out letters.

"Ow!" Jokey protested. "Cut it out, that hurts!"

"I don't CARE!" Tobias screeched and used Jokey's hand to scratch at the wood even harder, "It's all YOUR fault we're here, YOU ought to pay for it!"

Jokey continued to growl in pain, steadying himself against the wall as Tobias continued using his nails to carve out the words.

The time passed, and at last Papa smurf and the smurflings could try and talk to Jokey. When they entered the room, however, the writing on the walls took them all by surprise.

Jokey had carved the name of every Smurf who had been there when he was captured, but the three names most scrawled out were Papa's, Nat's and Grouchy's. "Great smurfs..." Papa murmured, looking disturbed, "You've ehm- been busy, Jokey..."

Nat just stared at the crude bloody text, then at Jokey's fingers-which were all bleeding from his work on 'redecorating' the room- feeling sick to his stomach. He didn't even really DO anything when Jokey was caught... why was HE such a target now?! He tried to put it out of his mind as he, Papa, Jokey and Slouchy sat down at a table that Hefty had brought in.

Jokey just give them his demonic grin as he surveye his handiwork himself. "I, ehm, like what you've done with the place..." Papa said, glancing around the room, then down at Jokey's mutilated fingertips. "If you'd like, I could fix your fingers?"

"NO," Jokey replied darkly, withdrawing his fingers, "I DON'T need your help!"

Jokey glanced to the corner of the room, where there was a small wrapped package, and laughed a twisted little laugh. "Hey, Nat!"he snickered, "there's a surprise for you right over there... Just for you, I'm not giving surprises to anybody else!"

"Uh, n-no thanks, Jokey," Nat mumbled, looking at the package apprehensively.

"Come onnnn!" Jokey almost whined, watching a small moth that had squeezed into the room through a small gap in the wood. "we're friends, right? well, friends give eachother gifts, and surprises!"

Nat glanced at Papa, then inched cautiously to the package and tentatively tore off the paper. "Wait, Nat!" Hefty spoke, putting a hand to Nat's before the smurfling could open the box. "I'll open it first, just in case it's a trap."

Hefty opened the box carefully, ducking out of the way slightly, expecting some kind of explosion. When there was nothing, he simply looked in the box, and shuddered at what he saw. "Um... Papa smurf? You'd better take a look at this..."

Inside the box there were dozens, hundreds even, of moths of all shapes and sizes and species, every one of them dead or dying, with their little torsos crushed. Nat screamed in horror, ducking behind Papa Smurf and peeking around him fearfully, shocked that anyone could be so cruel, even to a small, insignificant moth.

"You wanna learn something really, really FUNNY, Nature Boy?"Jokey mused, snatching the moth that had been fluttering around the room between his fingers. "these stupid little creatures... are so amusing..." The imprisoned smurf smiled devilishly. "they fight, they flop around, they're so desperate for escape, and yet one little-" he pinched his fingers just barely, and a sickening pop was heard. The moth's wings drooped down, vibrating very slightly, as if it were still trying to escape. "- and it'll be as dead as a doornail!"

Jokey laughed like a heyena on laughing gas and sailed the now useless body over their heads, bouncing against the wall before it landed in the box with the others. "ISN'T THAT HILARIOUS!?"

Nat couldn't answer. He was too busy trying to catch his breath enough to make a decent scream. Jokey cackled, knowing he had finally gotten to them, and sang eerily.

"There was a boy.
A very strange enchanted boy,
They say he wandered very far, very far,
Over land and sea~"

"S-stop it!" Nat screamed. "STOP IT RIGHT NOW!"

Jokey cackled again, looking right at Nat with those dark eyes and devilish smile.

"And then one day,
One magic day, he passed my way,
And then we spoke of many things, Fools and kings,
This he said to me,"

Jokey's devilish grin widened as he gave his rendition of the ending.

"The nature boy,
Is going to die.
And he is not
The last."

Right then, Slouchy stood up, grabbing Nat by the arm "That's it!" he said, "I'm not listenin' to another second'a this! C'mon!"

Nat followed Slouchy all too willingly, terribly shocked by the while mess.

"Bye-Bye, Nature Boy!" Jokey cackled. "See you soon!"

Slouchy shook his head and led Nat outside, locking the slightly taller smurfling in a hug when they were away from all of the insanity inside. "It's Ok, Nat. he can't hurt you, or anyone else now. he's locked away, we're safe."

Nat was shaking like a sea leaf in a thunderstorm. "Th-th-th-that S-S-SMURFSTARD!" He managed, glancing back in a terrified way.

"I know..." Slouchy replied quietly, "I know... but at least now he can't kill anything else..."

Nat shuddered. "I hope Papa smurfs something horrible to him!"

Slouchy shook his head. "He can't..." he said softly, "As much as we want him to, he can't... and won't...Jokey's still a smurf..."

"He should still punish him for what he's done!" Nat yelled, voice fierce.

"If he doesn't, I WILL," Slouchy said darkly, "I won't let Sassy's death go unpunished."

"Or anyone else's," Nat added softly. "It wouldn't be right to let him get away with what he did to Tailor, or Brainy and Grouchy, even if they didn't die."

"Yeah." Slouchy nodded, "But honestly... I don't think there's any punishment that can make up for what Jokey's done to the village... and once the others find out... they won't think so, either."

"But that doesn't mean Papa can't banish him or something!" Nat insisted.

"If he IS banished, who's t' smurf he won't come back?" Slouchy asked darkly.

Before Nat, or anyone else could answer, Papa smurf opened the door to Jokey's cell, and closed it behind him, locking it on both door side and hinges side of the door. After locking the door, he approached Nat and Slouchy, seeing Snappy not far away. "It's late, smurflings," Papa smurf spoke quietly, as if he had the world on his shoulders. "Smurfette has offered that you stay with her until Jokey is stable. Or at least as stable as he can be."

"So you're NOT gonna punish him for what he's done?" Nat asked in disbelief.

"He's not in his right mind, Nat." Papa smurf said firmly, "He will face justice, but at the moment, he is affected by mental illness and what I suspect is black magic potion and can't make a defence for himself at a trial."

"Fine," Nat spat unexcitedly.

By the time the smurflings had their nightshirts and were at Smurfette's house it was already late in the night. After a fit of crying over their lost loved ones, Smurfette found the gumption to show the smurflings to the sleeping spaces she had set up for each of them. Nat in the spare bedroom, Slouchy on the couch downstairs, and Snappy in the den, next to the window. The nature loving smurf had nearly fallen asleep when he heard the slight creak of a door. "Hey, Nat?" Slouchy's childish voice whispered. "You 'wake?"

"Mmmm. Now I am." Nat rolled over. "Wha' do want, Slouchy?"

"I can't sleep... "Slouchy muttered, "It just... feels weird without all'a us in the same room... an' knowin' we WON'T all be in th' same room ever again..."

Nat nodded, glancing sympathetically at Slouchy. "Yeah... I know what you mean..." He sighed, wishing he could comfort his friend.

"I know... I'm a big baby," Slouchy muttered, looking down, "I just... I wish we could just go back..." Slouchy wiped his eyes a little, "K'ai sleep in here tonight?"

"Sure," Nat agreed, shifting for Slouchy.

"Thanks," Slouchy murmured, slowly walking to the bed and climbing under the covers with his brother in spirit. "I wonder though... wha's... wha's gonna happen next?" his voice was shaky, "What happens now that we've got the killer...?"

"I don't know. I don't know if there's ever been a Smurf serial killer before... I don't know what will happen."

"Whatever happens," Slouchy murmured, "I hope Sassy and the others get peace cause of it."

"Me, too," Nat said quietly. "And I hope Grouchy and Brainy and Tailor will be able to move on."

"It'll take awhile," Slouchy murmured, "But I think they will eventually... jus' like th' rest'a th' village..."

"Yeah..." Nat murmured quietly. "I just hope it's sooner rather than later..."

Slouchy was very quiet for a moment. But before he could think of something to say in reply, they heard a loud crash from the upstairs of the house. "What was that?!" Slouchy's voice was hushed.

"I don't know," Nat replied, his voice a mere breath. "I think we should find out, though. But we'll have to be quiet."

Slouchy nodded, and silently slid out from under the covers. "Come on." he whispered, "It sounded like it came from downstairs."

Nat nodded, slipping out his own makeshift bed and sneaking quietly outside after Slouchy.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Slouchy whispered. "A really, REALLY bad feeling about this..."

"I do, too," Nat hissed quietly. "It sounded like it came from Smurfette's room."

"I think you're right." Slouchy replied, stepping very quietly, "It sounds like... Like crying, or something."

Slouchy was right. Through the thin walls, there seemed to be a muffled sound of whimpering and crying, and the incredibly muffled attempts at screams. "C'mon, she's in trouble!" Slouchy picked up his pace, still keeping his feet quiet, making a mad dash for Smurfette's bedroom at the end of the hall.

Nat launched himself down the hall after Slouchy, skidding as he came to the door and ripped it open.

It was right at that moment that Slouchy and Nat saw what was making all the noise.

A smurf had the blonde-haired female pinned down on top of the bed, knife in hand, his pants undone and her dress up past her chest, showing a small plain pink bra. Tears streamed from her eyes, his hand muffling the sounds of her screams and cries. When the smurf turned around to see who had interrupted his sordid acts, the smurflings' blood ran ice cold.

It was Jokey, those same wild eyes and demonic grin as before.

"Hey, Smurflings," he cackled, licking his lips. "Smurfette's quite the beauty, eh?"

"Get off of her!" Nat yelled, seeing Slouchy snatch for something to the side, a hat rack.

"We're not gonna let you hurt her, 'er anyone else ANY more!" Slouchy's usually calm and mellow voice came out as a growl, almost a snarl.

Suddenly there was a shuffling sound, and a loud, metallic clang. Jokey fell to the floor, revealing Snappy behind him, holding a black frying pan.

Slouchy put down the hat rack, and rushed right over to Smurfette, pushing Jokey aside and letting her up from the bed. "Are you ok, Smurfette?"

Shakily, the blonde smurfette nodded. "I'm fine..." she half whispered, "Th-thank you, Snappy... h-he would've k-killed me if you boys didn't come...!"

"No trouble," said Snappy, before looking at the frying pan. "Guys, for my birthday I want one of these."

"We'll keep that in mind," Slouchy said, using a belt he found in the closet to bind Jokey's hands, "Now we have t' go get Papa smurf!"

"I'll find him," said Nat quickly. "Slouchy, you stay here with Smurfette. Snappy, you too. You took him out once, you can do it again."

"Righto!" Snappy said, saluting as Nat dashed outside to Papa's lab.

Slouchy looked down at Jokey, then over at Smurfette. she looked as though she was about to be sick, unable to take her eyes off of him. Slouchy shook his head, and looked over to Snappy. "I don't think he's going anywhere for a while. Smurfette looks like she needs help now, and being around Jokey isn't helping."

"And that means what?" Snappy asked.

"It means that we should just leave him here." Slouchy said firmly, "and get Smurfette to Papa as soon as we can."

"If you say so," Snappy shrugged, tossing the frying pan on the bed and following Slouchy and Smurfette.

The three met Papa smurf and Nat just as they were about to leave the lab. "I thought you three were at Smurfette's house?!" he asked.

"She needed to be out of there, Papa." Slouchy said plainly, "But he's tied up really tight and he's knocked out, so it shouldn't be a problem."

"Alright, fine then, get inside, all of you," Papa quickly ushered them in. "we have no time to waste, I MUST brew an antipotion at ONCE, or else he may be gone forever!"

"I don't get it?" Snappy asked. "What do to mean, gone forever?"

"That potion Gargamel had," Papa smurf started to explain, "It was a potion called the 'Deepest Roots' potion. It takes the most repressed, darkest part of someone and multiplies it tenfold. In this case, Jokey's schizophrenia. What used to be mostly maintainable through medications and careful regulation is now even more dangerous and unpredictable. And what's worse is that this becomes irresmurfable eighteen hours from when the potion was first used."

"I don't like the sound of that," Snappy said.

"Do you know when he doused Jokey in the potion?" Nat inquired. "We might already be too late."

"I DON'T," Papa replied, potions ingredients in his hands "The only thingI can do is make the potion, and hope for the best at this point."

"Oh." Snappy looked uncomfortable. "Why can't we just have Hefty or someone lock him back up? It freaks me out knowin' he escaped."

"Because he WAS locked up," Papa said, slight fear in his voice, "there were well over four different locks on that door, and when I went to go check on him, the door was wide open and the smurf on watch was unconscious."

"So how is a belt supposed to-! Oh no," Nat said, horrified.

Slouchy put a hand to his face. HOW coul he be so stupid?! HOW could he not think that through!? If Jokey got free and hurt someone else, it was ALL on him!

Just at that moment, there was a knock on the door. Papa smurf, cautiously at first, approached the door, opening it slowly, just in case it was another one of the smurfs that was attacked, or something. But with a loud, sickening KLANG, the elder smurf fell to the ground, and the door opened slowly, revealing Jokey standing in the doorway with the frying pan from before. "Heeere's JOKEY!"

Snappy stared at him, then grabbed a knife for cutting potions ingredients. He lunge for Jokey but the Smurf was expecting him. He pinned Snappy by his throat to the wall and prepared to beat him with the frying pan.

But something made him stop. The fear in Snappy's eyes as Jokey held him pinned to the wall.

Slowly, Jokey felt his grip relax and the Smurfling fell to the floor. "What're you DOING?!" Tobias growled in Jokey's ear, digging his nails in Jokey's shoulders. "He's one of the smurfs that's going to prank you!"

"Let him," Jokey replied, tossing the frying pan down. "I'm not going to kill anyone else. Especially a kid."

"You're a fucking idiot, Jokey," Tobias growled darkly, raking his claws down Jokey's shoulders and back, leaving deep gashes, "You let them get into your head! You think they CARE that you're sorry now?! Once they wake up Papa smurf, he's still gonna hang you for murder!"

"And I'd deserve it," Jokey spat, glaring at Tobias. "I killed Smurfs, Jokey. I raped Smurfette I killed Sassette, I nearly killed Tailor! I deserve whatever Papa decides to do to me."

Tobias glared at Jokey with the hate and anger he could muster in his eyes, his face twisted in an evil terrifying expression. the imp came grabbed the frying pan from the ground, and started towards Snappy. "FINE then, I'LL do it MYSELF!"

"No!" Jokey launched himself at Tobias, knocking the frying pan away. "You can kill me if you want but leave them alone!"

Tobias almost snarled as he shook off the initial shock from Jokey's attack. "YOU UNGRATEFUL LITTLE FUCK!" Tobias screeched, "I GAVE YOU EVERYTHING! EVERYTHING! AND YOU'RE GIVING UP!"

The imp fired a well-aimed punch to Jokey's face, "You stupid, STUPID insignificant little BEAST! I SHOULD'VE KILLED YOU YEARS AGO!"

Jokey spat blood, then glared into Tobias's dark eyes. "Do it, then!" He challenged fearlessly. "Kill me, if that's what you want!"

"You worthless little FAGGOT!" Tobias shouted, punching Jokey in the face and torso over and over again, "You're nothing but a useless little queer!"

Smurfette shook Papa smurf desperately trying to revive him, "Papa! PAPA! Wake up, Papa smurf! Something's wrong with Jokey!"

Slouchy searched through the cupboards, seeking something to revive their fallen Papa smurf. "Nat, See if there's some kind'a smelling salts or something in the closet!"

"I'm looking, I looking!" Nat yelled.

"I can't see anything!" Snappy yelled back.

"YOU'RE A COWARD, TOBIAS!" Jokey roared. "THAT'S WHY I HAD TO BE THE KILLER AND I HAD TO CARVE THE WORDS! YOU'RE A FUCKING COWARD WHO HIDES BEHIND SOMESMURF ELSE TO GET WHAT HE WANTS!"

Slouchy quickly found a small sealed container, opened it, coughed at the smell, then held it up. "I found them!" he said, then tossed the canister to Nat- who was closest to Papa smurf. "You wake up Papa! I'm gonna try t' help Jokey!"

"YOU DID IT BECAUSE YOU WANTED TO DO IT FIRST!" Tobias roared in reply, "YOU ENJOYED WATCHING THOSE SMURFS SUFFER! YOU ENJOYED KILLING GARGAMEL, YOU ENJOYED TEARING THE SKIN OFF AZRAEL! YOU ENJOYED MAKING HARMONY EAT HIS OWN TRUMPET, AND PAINTER BECOME PAINTING MATERIALS! I GAVE YOU THE EXTRA PUSH TO FOLLOW THROUGH!"

Nat unscrewed the lid and waved the smelling salts under Papa's nose. "Come on, come on-!"

Jokey worked up what saliva he could and spat in Tobias's face. "Fuck you, Tobias," he snarled.

After a moment or two, Papa smurf started coughing, and slowly opened his eyes. "N... Nat... Where's Jokey?!"

"Fuck me?" Tobias snarled, wrapping his hands around Jokey's throat and squeezing with every ounce of inhuman strength- enough Jokey thought he'd sooner break his neck than cutof air supply- in his small body. "Fuck you, Best Friend."

"He's over here!" Slouchy shouted from where he knelt next to Jokey whom he had rolled on his side, "It's Jokey, I think he's having a seizure or something!"

Jokey suddenly fell limp, his eyes rolling back in his skull as Tobias succeeded in choking the prankster Smurf's life out of him. Papa smurf felt around Jokey's neck, searching for a pulse. When no thum-thump of a heartbeat found his fingers, he simply bowed his head. "He's... He's dead..." he said plainly, "We were... too late..."

"What happened?" Nat asked.

"He sounded like he was talking to someone before he died," Snappy added.

"It's likely he was," Papa smurf said, a twinge of sadness in his eyes, "it's likely that he was experiencing some kind of waking nightmare kind of delusion Schizophrenia can amplify one of dreams. If the nightmare was Tobias, or some other delusion, killing him, it became real to him."

"So you're saying because he thought Tobias was killing him, Jokey actually died?" Snappy asked, shocked.

"In a way, yes." Papa smurf looked down at Jokey, giving the smurf's head a few pats, and closing his eyelids. "The stress of it all was just too much for his body to take."

"Oh," said Nat softly. "I think they were arguing over Jokey killing Snappy, and it sounded like he didn't want to..."

"It might have been that he finally had a conscious," Papa smurf murmured, "Or perhaps the potion was starting to wear off in some ways."

The elderly smurf shook his head. "In any case, there's nothing more that can be done for Jokey smurf now... Would you boys mind bringing Smurfette to Dabbler's to be examined, and telling Dabbler about Jokey?"

"Okay, Papa," Snappy said softly, leading Snappy toward Dabbler's.

Nearly three weeks had passed since the events of that day.

Tailor had regained his ability to speak coherently, and could make simple stitches and repairs without going into a crippling panic attack. He rarely left Tracker's side, and had taken to being quite secluded, seeing as he found it so hard to trust the others he didn't know as well.

It was on the eve of the fourth week since the Day that would Smurf in Infamy when the smurfs were finally mostly recovered enough to face it the results. The seven funerals took place all on the same day, jointed together as a memorial and commemorated with a statue- an unfinished work from Painter's studio- just outside the village.

Jokey was cremated, and his ashes buried away from the village. there weren't many that attended it, but a handful did-for pity, if nothing else. The service of the six victims was modest, and those caskets that could be open were. Vanity and Farmer were special, as they were together in a joint casket, essentially ignoring the phrase "Til death do you part." the three caskets that could be open- Painter, Harmony, and Sassette- were simple, but somehow brought closure to the others. the slice across Painter's throat was stitched together and covered with make up, as were the bruises on Sassette's neck. Harmony's jaw had been fixed so it was not broken and stretched looking. All three appeared to merely be sleeping.

Snappy, Slouchy, and Nat sat together, separating only to give a eulogy for Sassette, and for Jokey. Close to the end, they were allowed to pass by and give goodbyes. "G'bye, Sassette..." Slouchy said softly, one hand on the casket. "We miss you already..."

"Yeah," Nat sniffled. "We miss everyone already."

"But we'll miss you the most," Snappy added quietly.

Slouchy blinked a few times and nodded before he spoke. "Y-you know... we were gonna go explore that swamp you wanted t' see next week," Slouchy said softly, "It's not... the same, without you... but... but we'll try and enjoy it anyways..."

Slouchy looked down at the rose in his hand. He slowly placed it down in the casket, then wrapped her cold fingers around it. "We'll never forget you..." he said softly, wiping his eyes.

"Never," Nat echoed lamely.

"Ya know, whatever we said before... I think makin' you was one'a the best things we ever smurfed."

"Bye, Sassette," Nat murmured softly.

Slouchy nodded sadly, keeping his hand on Sassette's for a moment before taking it away, and watching as Handy covered the casket, hiding her from the three that loved her forever. Slouchy had to turn away as Handy sealed it, cringing at every nail that was pounded into the wood. The mellow smurf laid his head in his hands and cried softly, not quite knowing what else to do. Snappy just hugged Slouchy's shoulders hole Nat tried his best to look as though he really believe Sassette was better off wherever she was now. "Guys..." Slouchy's voice was soft, heavy with tears. "You think... we'll ever see her again...? After we die, or whatever...?"

"Yeah," said Nat softly.

"I don't know about God," said Snappy. "But I know this can't be the only thing."

Slouchy looked up at the sky, mostly clear except for a scattered cloud here and there. "Yeah," he said, "You're probably right, Snappy."

A few weeks after the funerals, Tracker found Tailor shakily setting his sewing supplies down again, the panicked look beginning to return.

"Hey," he said quietly, moving to Tailor's side. "How's my favorite Smurf in the world doing?"

Tailor jumped slightly, having not heard Tracker enter, and wrung his hands. "Not great, Ahuvi..." Tailor murmured, shaking his head and lighting a cigarette, his hands shaky. "M-moving the shop didn't help... rearranging my desk so my back wasn't to the door didn't help..." Tailor sighed slightly, and took a puff from his cigarette. "I... I keep smoifin' that he's gonna come back...o-or that it'll happen again..."

"It won't happen, Tai," Tracker soothed. "I promise you, I won't let anysmurf hurt you." He paused. "Why don't we change the subject...? I seem to recall a little conversation we were having before this mess..."

Tailor tensed up, bringing the cigarette to his mouth and chewing the filter nervously. "Oh?" he said, "Which... conversation... are you thinking of, Ahuvi? We had a few before all this happened, you know."

"I was thinking of the one where we talked about having a little girl to spoil rotten and coddle," Tracker said softly, nuzzling Tailor's face.

Tailor turned white, feeling sick to his stomach, and bringing the cigarette to an ashtray, suddenly having lost a need for nicotine. "Oh," he murmured, moving his face slightly away, "THAT conversation..."

Tracker brought his hand to Tailor's cheek. "Tai? What is it, what's wrong?"

Tailor kept his eyes away from Tracker's, already knowing he'd just feel more guilty seeing those sad eyes. "I-it's nothing, Ahuvi," he tried to sound truthful, "nothing at all."

Tailor faked a yawn and quickly shuffled to the couch that sat in the far corner of the workshop, "I-I think I need a nap, darling. I'm kinda tired."

"Tai," said Tracker quietly, "I know it's something. You act like this every time I bring her up now, and before you were just as excited as I was. What happened? Did he say something to you?"

Tailor, who had reached the couch, and now just sat on it running his fingers subconsciously over the stitch-shaped scars over his wrists, nodded slowly, blinking to banish the tears from his eyes.

"Tai," said Tracker softly, moving to sit beside him, "I need you to tell me what he said, okay?"

Tailor took a jagged breath, his whole body shaking slightly. "H-he said... h-he said I'm going t' Hell... C-cause I love you... a-and cause I w-want to have a baby with you..." Tailor hid his face, giving a little sob. "H-he said... Oh g-god, Tracker..." Tailor sobbed again, trying to regain control of his voice, "H-he said that i-if it wasn't m-m-me he was torturing, it w-would've been our little girl..."

"Tai... Oh, god, Tai." Tracker hugged his mate's shoulders. "He can't hurt her, or you again. And I promise you you aren't going to hell. That's what homophobes say to scare you. I promise t won't happen." Tracker kissed his mate's head.

Tailor simply hugged Tracker tightly, his face buried in his mate's chest, still crying quietly. "B-but it's not JUST Jokey that feels like that-!" he sobbed, "He wasn't the only homophobe in the village, Tracker... I-I don't think I'd w-want to raise a baby around that... o-or around me, w-with everything wrong with m-me-!" Tailor broke away, almost curling himself up in a ball. "I w-wish I could've just died... Th-then I wouldn't be so scared all the time... Th-then the baby wouldn' see me so scared all th' time..." Tailor sobbed quietly, his whole body shaking.

Tracker looked at Tailor sadly. "Tai, please don't say that about yourself. I'm glad you lived. I don't think I could have gone on if you died. And as for the baby, well... I know it will be hard. There's no doubt about that. And I know you're scared, and I know you're worried about the baby seeing you when you're scared. But trust me, she'll love you even if you are scared. You're going to be her Abba, why wouldn't she love you?"

"Because her Abba's a coward," he replied, curling into a tighter ball, "H-he's a useless, worthless coward that couldn't have been able to save her if Jokey was hurting HER instead... Hell, her Abba couldn't even save himself!" Tailor felt as thought he'd die right there, "All I would've been able to do is lay there and watch him put stitches in our little girl...I wouldn't even be able to tell her it'd be alright, that we'd be alright... I...I couldn't even guarantee I'd see her in Heaven, Ahuvi..."

"Tai. Jokey was a lying little bastard who's having his bones roasted for what he did. If he had hurt you and our little girl, I know you two would be running around in Heaven with Vanity and Farmer and Sassy. After what you've been through I wouldn't be surprised unless you were completely fine considering what you've gone through. That monster is finished; he can't hurt her or you ever again."

Tailor uttered a quiet sob, and leaned against Tracker, fear still heavy in his heart. "He's... he wasn't the only one that said that kind of thing about the baby, though, Ahuvi.." he was quiet, "A-Architect's threatened me I don't know how many times he'd get Papa to refuse to make her, or take her away after he did..." Tailor uncovered his face and wrapped his arms around Tracker, scared and sad. "I wish I knew she'd be alright if she DOES smoif t' be... I- I wish... I w-wish she d-doesn' have t' hear what the others 're gonna say about her..."

Tracker hugged Tailor again. "I know he wasn't. But do you really think for a second I'd let anysmurf lay a hand on her? I know she's going to be picked on by bullies like him, but all kids get bullied for something. If it's not us it will be her hair, or her dress, or something else. That doesn't mean we can't have her and love her and hold her. That's like saying I shouldn't have and hold and love you after what you've gone through."

Tailor was quiet for a moment, simply staying close to him, not knowing what to say, or how to say it. "I know you wouldn't let anyone hurt her, Ahuvi.." he said at last, "but I still have no idea why on smoif you keep me around after all that." he chuckled dryly.

"Because I love you," said Tracker simply. "What kind of Smurf would I be if I walked out on you when you needed me the most?"

"A NOIMAL smoif," Tailor chuckled again, wiping his eyes, "a noimal smoif that doesn't wanna deal with a coward mate, and nightmares, and not being able to touch 'im most 'a the time..."

"Well, I will deal with it because I love you and I want to have a life with you," Tracker replied firmly. "Even if you decide you don't want our baby girl anymore. Just... Consider it, okay?"

Tailor nodded and snuggled up against his mate. "Orright, Ahuvi... I promise I will..."

"Thank you," Tracker said, kissing his mate's head.

Later that night, when most smurfs would be asleep, Tailor was downstairs on the couch, locked deep in thought and a glass of red wine in one hand. Nights had not been so restful for him as it usually was for his mate. But on nights when he was especially plagued by nightmares, he would go downstairs and sit on the couch, just to think, or read. Tailor jumped nervously as he heard the creak of the stairs, signaling someone was walking down them, but breathed a slight sigh of relief as he saw Tracker on them. "Oy, Ahuvi... you scared me... What're you doin' up?"

"Just came to make sure you were okay," Tracker replied truthfully. "Whatcha thinking about?"

Tailor sat up, making room for his mate to sit next to him, and shrugged his shoulders. "Few different things, I guess," he murmured, "Just trying t' figure out how t' get rid'a these nightmares."

Tracker hugged Tailor's shoulders as he sat down beside him. "I don't know. Maybe we can ask Papa about a few tricks for nightmares. How's that sound?"

Tailor leaned against him and gave a little sigh. "alright... But not tonight, it's too late right now..."

Tailor was quiet for a moment. "Ahuvi...?"

"Yeah, Tai?" Tracker asked, glancing at his mate affectionately.

Tailor looked down at the red merlot in his glass. "I... I've been thinking... About the baby..."

"Oh." Tracker paused, tryin to prepare himself for th last thing he wanted to hear. "And?"

"I... I..." Tailor swallowed the lump in his throat. "I... I think I want our baby, Tracker..." he slowly turned to his mate. "I've been thinking that maybe... Just maybe... She could be our chance to start getting past all this."

"Y-you do?" Tracker asked, surprised. "Tai... This is great!"

Tailor swallowed nervously and tried to smile, "But... you have to promise me one thing."

Tracker nodded. "What's that?"

Tailor looked Tracker in the face, all seriousness in his eyes. "I want you to promise me that we'll never let her get hurt... that we'll never let her think we don't love her, or that no matter who she is, or what she's like, there will ALWAYS be someone on her side." Tailor blinked a little, looking watery eyed. "Can you... can you promise that, Ahuvi?"

"Of course," Tracker replied firmly. "I promise."

"Good," Tailor smiled and set his glass down, then gave Tracker a good, hard punch to his shoulder, "Cause I'll smoif ya if we don't!" he chuckled a little, giving a wink to his mate.

"Ouch!" Tracker complained. "Noted, noted!"

"Good," Tailor's voice was soft as he leaned against his lover and planted a kiss on his cheek. "I love you, Tracker... More than I can ever say..."

"I love you too." Tracker kissed Tailor's forehead. "More than you'll ever know."

A few months later, Tracker and Tailor were in Papa's laboratory, preparing to get their daughter.

"I can't wait!" Tracker said excitedly, hugging Tailor's shoulders. "She's going to be perfect!"

Tailor smiled widely, his previous fears about the baby mostly dissipated. "She WILL be!" he said, then turned to Tracker fully, light worry on his face. "Oh Tracker, what if she doesn't like me?"

"Are you kidding?" Tracker laughed, nuzzling Tailor's nose, "she'll love you! Who else is going to doll her up in dresses and help her do her hair and decorate her room?"

Tailor smiled a little, and hugged his mate. "I hope so..."

As they were talking amongst themselves, Papa smurf prepared to animate the clay doll he had prepared for them. The spell was cast quickly, a light magenta aura radiated around the cauldron, and after a few moments, the loud cry of an infant rang out through the room.

Quickly followed by a second infant's cry.

Tracker looked up in confusion. "Papa...?" He asked slowly. "Why did I just hear TWO babies...?"

Papa, looking quite confused himself, reached into the cauldron and wrapped both of the screaming masses in little pink blankets before he hoisted them out of the cauldron. "The clay was affected by Gargamel's spell the last time it was used, when the smurflings made Sassette," he explained, "I was worried the first doll I made would not animate, so I created a second to smurf as a substitute. But it seems both of them animated as they normally would have."

He turned slowly, showing the pair the two smurflings. One had blonde hair and baby blue eyes, screaming and crying the most of the two. The other had incredibly different hair, a pinkish color with dark purple streaks through it, and her eyes were shut tight. "H-Her hair..." Tailor murmured, instinctively getting closer to the two babies, "It's so... odd..."

"It is," Tracker agreed, inching forward as well and carefully taking the loud, blonde girl from Papa.

Tailor looked up at Papa, childlike innocence in his face. "C-can I... hold her?"

"Of course you can," Papa smurf carefully passed the child to Tailor, "She is your daughter, after all."

Tailor stared down at the whimpering little life in his arms. "H-H'lo, mamela," he said softly, "I-I'm your Abba... That silly one over there's your daddy..."

Slowly, the infant's unfocused eyes flickered open. Tailor gazed on in shock. Normally, a baby smurf has blue eyes- all babies are born with blue eyes, after all- but this baby's eyes were a striking pink, only a few shades darker than her hair. and one of them looked cloudy, as if there were a milky film covering it. "Riboynoy-Shel-Olyom..." Tailor breathed, "T-Tracker, her eyes-! Look at her eyes!"

Tracker looked up from the infant in his own arms to stare down at her sister. "Is she blind?" He inquired, still rocking her sister soothingly as he stared at the pink-eyed infant, who cringed away from him.

"I think so, at least in that eye." Tailor replied, then looked over to Papa smurf. "Is this- because of the spell?"

Papa nodded sadly, and took the child from Tailor's arms. "I believe it is, " he said, looking at her blind eye with a small light, "Seeing as she's completely blind in her left eye, I'm fairly certain it is due to the spell..." Papa smurf was quieter for a moment. "Does this mean you're only keeping the sister, then? I can find her a home with one of the other smurfs if you so-"

"N-NO!" Tailor exclaimed suddenly, then paused, "U-uh, that won't be necessary, Papa smoif." He carefully took the child back. "Blind or not, she's still my daughter, and I'll love her no matter what. "Tailor looked over to Tracker, "that is... if you still want her too, Ahuvi..."

"Of course I still want her!" Tracker insisted. "What kind of father would I be if I didn't? She's different, that doesn't mean she's not mine and it doesn't mean she's not still perfect."

Tailor smiled widely at his mate, then walked to where he stood with his daughter and kissed him. "I love you, Tracker... and our little girls too."

"I love you too," Tracker smiled, before laughing as the little blonde reached over and bopped at her sister with a little fist, the older, half-blind twin giving a squall of protest and batting her sibling's hand away.

Tailor laughed a little and leaned his head against Tracker's shoulder. "Ahuvi..." he said softly, "I think... even after all of this that's happened... I'm not scared..." the smurf felt tears in his eyes. "Even if we do get trouble from the others... I know we'll be okay... They'll be okay..."

Tracker smiled widely. "I'm glad, Tai," he smiled. "And you're right... They will be okay..." He paused. "Ya know, we should give them names..."

Tailor looked down at the child in his arms. "She looks... kinda like a Katie to me..." He said softly.

At this, the pink-haired baby gave a pleasent giggle, nuzzling Tailor's chest and cooing.

"I think she likes it," Tracker smiled, before looking at the blonde twin, who had quieted considerably since her birth.

"Ya know," he said thoughtfully, smiling at her as she watched him with wide, blue eyes, "I always liked the name 'Serenity'..."

"I dunno, Ahuvi," Tailor eyed the infant. "Something smoifs me she's going to be ANYTHING but Serene..."

Tracker laughed as the blonde baby glared at Tailor and turned to bury her face in Tracker's chest. "I think she disagrees, Tai," he chuckled affectionately.

Tailor laughed softly, stroking the blond girl's hair. "Alright... I do like the name Serenity..."

Serenity glanced over at Tailor, as if deciding whether or not to forgive him, before cooing and turning in Tracker's arms, allowing Tailor to stroke her cheek.

"There's that pretty face," Tailor cooed, nuzzling her forehead, "My little Ren-Ren... And my little Katie-leh... what beautiful little girls."

"I agree," Tracker smiled, hugging his mate and daughters to him. "What beautiful little miracles."

~~End~~

Chi:WHEEEE!

Aiko: IT'S OVER!

Really big guy from Nightmare Before Christmas with the axe in his head: We did iiiit!

Gremlin from Nightmare Before Christmas: Wasn't it TERRIFYING?

Vampire from Nightmare Before Christmas: What a night!

Chi: WILL YOU GUYS GET OUT OF HERE!?

*They all leave*

Aiko: Well, that was weird.

Chi: Yeah, I'll say. xD

Aiko: So, there we go. Dark Humor, the story dragonmastrcrashrokz AKA SmurfyFriend has hyped for a year is finished!

Chi: And by the way… I will like- donate a FREAKIN' BUILDING to Hufflepuff if anyone can guess the reference with that "HEEERE'S Jokey!" thing! XD

Aiko: Review, comment, fave, and all that jazz!

Chi: until next time, Ciao! ^^