"Patrick, you doofus," came a voice. "We told you that you couldn't do it alone, dummy!"

Patrick coughed and opened his eyes, gazing at the infamous Kid Mental.

"Now, get ready. I got a wagon ready to take you home."

"How… how can I get ready when I can't move?" Patrick said curtly.

"Ah, good point. Well, we'll get you up on it somehow," Mental responded.

"… how did you find me all the way out here?"

"Webbuu. He knew that Scarlet would head back up here. So… he got me and we drove a wagon up here. It was hell getting it through the snow, though. Um… in fact, it'll have to be awhile before we can get back. You need to get healed first."

Patrick looked away, eyes distant. "I realized something."

"Finally," Mental muttered to himself, rolling his eyes.

Patrick ignored him. "Even though that Scarlet is dead… I don't feel any better. In fact, I feel worse."

"Well, duh."

"I'm sor-r…"

"… save the apologies for Aay."

"… how is she?"

"Hurt. Physically and mentally. Her wound also got infected. I left two weeks after you did, so I'm not quite sure how she is doing. Otaku is taking good care of her though."

Patrick nodded. "How about Sliver?"

Mental looked away. "He's hurt too. You gotta get back and get him on the right track."

"Heh. I doubt I could do that."

"If you weren't in pain I would punch you, Patrick. You really got messed up there you know that? You gave me a hell of a headache and a bruised face. You hurt Aay just by leaving, you hurt Sliver by not being there for him, and you hurt your friends. Heard enough yet? 'cause I could say a lot more."

"No… no, that's enough. I realize all that, Mental."

"Good."

"Where's Webbuu?"

"Burying Scarlet's remains. You sure killed her good. Too good."

"… her confidence was her downfall."

"As it is for all evil people."

Patrick lifted his right hand and looked at his hand. "Most of it is paralyzed."

Mental nodded. "I'm no doctor, but I could just tell by the shape and how your other fingers moved and the thumb, pointing and middle finger didn't. I tried to reshape them for you, for I first thought they were disjointed. I just couldn't bend them at all. I'm sorry."

"It's one thing to prove my stupidity," muttered Patrick.

"Yup. You also will have a lovely scar running down your face to your butt. I tell you, it wasn't lovely bandaging it up," Mental said, wrinkling his face for effect.

Patrick sighed.

Silence came over them.

Patrick kept looking at his hand. "I thought… I thought I was going to die."

"I would have, too."

"I thought I was going to cause more pain for Aay and Sliver."

"… you're not going all mushy on me, are you?"

"Dammit, Mental! I'm trying to say… arg! Just forget it," Patrick muttered.

Mental laughed. "Aay will forgive you. You'll just have to work with Sliver. Um… were you planning to give that bronze sword to Sliver?"

Patrick's eyes opened wide and he slapped his face. "I forgot about that!"

"It's all going well for you, isn't it, Patrick," Mental said wryly.

"…"

"…"

"How long have I been asleep?"

"Oh, about a week. We found you a few hours after you had collapsed. You were almost dead. What's with you and your family getting wounded so much?"

Patrick glared at him.

"Uh, sorry. Anyways, after we found you still barely alive, we bandaged you up. Luckily, Webbuu had medicine on him. He put it on your wounds. We searched everyday for infection, but I think the medicine beat it away. Well, we need to get you home soon. Do you realize how many days you've been away?"

Patrick shook his head. He knew the beginning days he had been staying nights in hotels trying to find information about Scarlet's whereabouts, often going to bed from a pounding headache from the beers he had drunk. He must've done that for at least a week before he found out any news. Then it took around a week until he reached the next town looking for Scarlet. The same process passed in that town. He would go to bed with a headache and a hangover in the morning. It was finally two more weeks until he was headed in the mountains to Aay's old house. It took a week through the snow. He slept for a week. At least six weeks.

Patrick told Mental the story, who gaped at him for a while.

"You got a hangover from just a few beers?"

Patrick gritted his teeth. "That's not the point. I've been gone for about a month."

"Ah…"

"When did you and Webbuu leave to find me?"

"About two weeks ago."

"Great. How did Webbuu know Scarlet would be here?"

Mental shrugged. "He's a weird old man that knows a lot of things."

Speaking of the devil, Webbuu walked in and knocked his staff against Mental's head. "That's no way to talk of your elders."

"Well, it's true!" Mental yelled at him, rubbing his head.

Webbuu ignored him and sat down beside Patrick. "How you feeling?"

"Better."

"Good. Now, we'll stay here for about a week more and then get you home. The snow should melt soon. It hits hard here but never lasts long here. And after you're brought back, I'm coming back here to gather the weapons."

"Why? Do you want to sell them?"

Webbuu shook his head. "I'm going to give them to Lady Aay. They may have been her parents, but they will bring in a lot of gold."

Patrick nodded.

"Now, get better quick, Patrick! I don't wanna stay here the rest of the week. It's boring," Mental whined and got up.

Webbuu followed suit and stood up. He glared at Mental, who shut up and went into the other room. Webbuu grabbed a cup and poured some thick liquid into it. He handed it to Patrick, who drank it.

"Sleep," Webbuu commanded him, who immediately did that. Webbuu grinned at his cleverness. Putting sleeping powder in the liquid had been a brilliant idea.

XxXxXxXx

Patrick sat down slowly in the wagon, trying not to reopen his wounds. He nodded to Mental who whipped the horses lightly to get going. Webbuu was already snoozing in the front like the old man that he was.

Patrick was getting excited to go home. He couldn't believe that he had actually lived this ordeal.

He was ready to see Aay and his son.

XxXxXxXx

Aay was up and walking around, cleaning the house. She expected Patrick back any minute, sure that Mental and Webbuu had found him. She was told to rest daily, but she could barely do that when no news of Patrick had reached her.

She barely even saw Sliver anymore in the house. He was always out with is friends and would come in to sleep and eat his meals.

Aay was really anxious to get Patrick back, for today was Sliver's sixth birthday. Patrick was going to give the bronze swords to him. Well, was. She noticed that Sliver used the swords now and then, putting them back exactly the way they were.

Aay sighed. They would have to upgrade to iron to impress Sliver for his birthday. So, she decided to do just that. Sliver out for the day, she put on her coat and grabbed her wallet. She would have to buy the sword from the shop and the shield and helmet from the traders out in Varrock center.

Holding on to the newly bought iron long sword, she walked into the center and soon found a person who had a set of iron armor, shield, helmet, and a short iron sword. She bought all the things, deciding to have a nice big present for Sliver. She would have to adjust the armor, for it was a little too big for him, but that would only take a few minutes.

She did exactly that when she got back in the house. She wrapped the iron weapons in blankets with the armor as well. She set it on the table and went to go find Sliver to bring him in for the midday meal.

Walking along, she started humming to put her mind off of Patrick. She knew he would get back, so she knew that worrying wasn't doing her any good.

A pair of hands gripped her shoulders. She gave a yell and grabbed one hand with her hands and flipped the person over her shoulder, screaming, "Pervert!"

He landed with a flop and a groan on the ground.

She gasped. "Patrick?"

"Hey, Aay. You're looking lovely as ever," he responded smiling and wincing. He sat up slowly. Aay dropped down to her knees and kissed him full on the lips, making him almost fall backwards again.

She broke the kiss and looked at his face that was partially wrapped in bandages. "What happened?"

Patrick shook his head and drew her into an embrace. "I was so stupid," he whispered. "I'm sorry."

"You big blockhead!" Aay yelled laughing. "I knew you were! But… I forgive you," she said, starting to sob.

They both winced and drew back, holding their wounds. "Maybe we should rest," Aay wheezed out. Dropping to the ground and moving foreword had greatly hurt her wound.

Patrick nodded. "But not before finding Sliver. Let's check at home first."

They both stood up, holding on to each other. They started to walk slowly, hand in hand.

They opened the door to find Sliver who was holding the bronze sword and looking at the objects on the table. He turned and gaped at his father. He dropped the sword and walked towards.

"Dad…?" He asked, and when Patrick nodded, he walked up and kicked Patrick right in the shin, causing Patrick, who couldn't stand any more pain than he was already feeling, to fall on the ground, holding his shin. "That's for leaving us!" Sliver yelled.

"Sliver…" Aay started to say, but was stopped by Patrick who held up his hand.

"I deserved this," he whispered. He sat cross-legged on the floor, rubbing his shin. He turned to Sliver, who was glaring fiercely at him. "Sliver, I'm sorry."

"Did you kill her?" Sliver spat.

Patrick nodded slowly. Aay looked to the ground, her heart breaking and crying in relief at the same time.

"Good," the now six-year old kid said.

"No, no, it's not good," Patrick said slowly. "I killed her out of revenge. And look what it did to me," he whispered, holding his right hand out to Sliver.

Sliver gasped, as did Aay. She went over and took his hand in hers. "They… you can't move them, can you?"

Patrick shook his head.

Sliver glared at his father. "It serves you right."

"I said I'm sorry. I don't expect you to forgive me right away," Patrick sighed.

Sliver shook his head, refusing to believe him.

"It's your birthday, isn't it?" Patrick said. "It should be around this time."

"It is," Aay said, giving a smile. She walked over to the table and brought over the things she had bought. "I got these for you."

Sliver gaped at his parents. He had forgotten it was his birthday. "I… um… I already got the bronze ones."

"Well, then I hope you'll accept this, Sliver," said Aay quietly. She passed the blanket over to Sliver. She turned and whispered in Patrick's ear what she got.

"It's… an iron… iron… everything," Sliver said gleefully. He dropped the bronze and picked up the iron sword. "Thanks mom!" he gave her a hug and kept on ignoring his father. "I'll put these to good use!" he yelled and ran outside.

Patrick watched him leave. When the door closed, he rubbed his face and sighed. "I'm so stupid," he mumbled.

Aay sat beside him and wrapped him into a hug. "I know. But you came back. You know what you did wrong… Anyways, this proves something."

"What?"

"That anyone can have a dark side. Anyone as loving as you can break. Revenge can rule our hearts for the longest time. It just takes time to heal."

"You speak true," Patrick said softly. He turned and faced Aay and rubbed noses with her. "I lo…"

Aay held a finger to his lips. "Shh. I know," she said and then kissed him hard, causing them both to fall to the floor, making them both to wince from the pain shooting up from their wounds. Patrick almost blacked out from the pain.

He groaned and sat up, holding his shoulder and his head from a pounding headache that was coming upon him. He groaned again. "You can also be an idiot, you know that?" he laughed painfully.

Aay grinned and leaned against him. "I know that too."