Hal hadn't slept at all through the night, despite how terribly exhausted he was. He had managed to find some comfort and relief as Maggie rested next to him, however.

She had awoken sometime early in the morning. She'd mentioned having guard duty, but said she wanted to stay with Hal. He had insisted she not piss off Weaver, though, so she left reluctantly, promising him she'd be by later in the evening.

It was late morning now, and Hal found himself unable to focus on anything. He was in a great amount of pain. Each breath left him in such agony that his vision went black for a few moments. His head was throbbing in rhythm with the rest of his body, and it was overwhelming at times.

He stared blankly at a wall, desperately fighting back the painful memories that threatened to resurface. Hal knew he couldn't fight them off forever, but he needed a few moments of peace.

Hal was suddenly thrown back into reality as the hospital door creaked open slowly. He watched as it opened to reveal a small, slightly disheveled Matt.

Hal's heart began to thud painfully in his chest, and he immediately felt hot tears blur his vision. You promised, Hal! Help me!

Matt looked at Hal for a moment, and then glanced at his feet. He wore an expression full of pain and confusion, and he looked far too wise for a nine year old.

"Hey, Matt." Hal whispered, barely managing to hold in a sob as he spoke.

Matt remained silent, shuffling his feet anxiously. His brow furrowed as he looked at his shoes, seeming to be in deep thought. He bit his lip hard as it began to tremble slightly.

"Matt…" Hal spoke softly, somehow containing his emotions. He watched as his baby brother's exterior began to crumble slightly, noticing the first tear as it rolled down his small cheek. Hal's heart dropped into his stomach at this sight.

Matt breathed in, but it sounded more like a hiccup than anything. He looked up at Hal now, his face contorted into an expression of such pain and fear that only a child could convey.

"Why'd you go…?" Matt's voice was so small and it shook so much that Hal's breath shuddered painfully.

"I…-" Hal began shakily, but Matt interrupted.

"You keep saying that everything'll be okay, and you'll always take care of me and watch after me, but how can you when you keep leaving?! First you tried to kill yourself, and then you got taken by the aliens… Just like Ben, and Dad… Everyone keeps leaving me, and I just want things to go back to normal! I want us to be a family, and I want to got to school and see my friends, and I want Mom to tuck me in at night, and I want you to be my big brother again!" Matt was speaking so quickly and angrily.

He fell silent now, his small chest heaving in and out heavily as tears streamed down his face.

Hal stayed silent for a moment, seeming almost in shock. He looked at Matt helplessly, and he felt his heart shatter painfully in his chest. He had failed Matt so terribly. He had failed him in every way, and there was no way to take it all back. Hal couldn't go back and stop himself from doing any of the horrible things he had done when he was controlled by Karen, he couldn't take back any of his broken promises to Matt, and he couldn't undo any of what happened during his time on the ship. He felt so helpless and agonized realizing this.

"Matt, I… I…" Hal fell silent. What could he say? That he was sorry? That wouldn't help Matt. It wouldn't make his pain go away.

Matt stood in front of the bed, still breathing unsteadily. He was holding in small whimpers and sobs, trying to appear strong and brave for Hal, but his facade soon collapsed. Matt opened his mouth to inhale deeply, but instead he began to sob. Tears poured from his big eyes quickly, and his shoulders shook viciously as the cries wracked through his little body.

Hal knew he shouldn't move. He knew that standing and walking right now would only worsen his condition and cause him an amazing amount of pain. But right now, he didn't care. As he watched Matt cry out for comfort and reassurance, all Hal cared about was giving him the comfort and reassurance he needed.

Hal pushed the sheet from his body quickly and threw his legs over the side of the bed. He was immediately hit with an overwhelming pain, and he nearly fell back against the bed. But Hal fought it, pushing his own pain aside and letting Matt's take its place. Hal stood, and in one swift movement he rushed to Matt and knelt in front of him.

Hal's breath became slightly labored as the pain in his chest ripped through him, but he forced himself to breath in and out steadily. He placed his hands on Matt's skinny shoulders and forced him to look into his eyes.

"Matt, look at me. I'm right here. Nothing will ever, ever take me from you. Do you hear me? Nothing's ever going to change that. I'm always going to be your big brother, and I'm always going to protect you. I know I was gone, and I'm so sorry, Matt. But I'm here now, with you. I'm right here. I've got you now."

Matt began to hiccup as his sobs grew more violent, and he let himself collapse into Hal's warm embrace. He fell harshly against Hal's chest, and he had to bite on his cheeks to keep from screaming out in pain.

Hal managed to keep himself composed for Matt's sake. He wrapped his arms tightly around Matt, and despite his terribly weakened and beaten body, Hal picked Matt up, cradling him tightly to his broken chest.

He walked stiffly back to the bed with Matt still weeping into his shoulder. He set Matt down gently and nudged him to the far side of the bed before sinking down beside him. Matt continued to cry, but his cries were becoming weaker and more distant now as Hal pulled him closer.

Hal pulled Matt so that he was cradling him, keeping one arm draped over his small, shivering body protectively. When Matt's cries were only small whimpers, Hal spoke.

"I've got you, Matt." Hal whispered into Matt's soft hair. "I'm not going to leave again. I'm always going to be here to keep you, Ben, and Dad safe. I won't ever let anything happen to you."

Matt's breath shuddered softly as his whimpers halted. He nodded and nuzzled closer to Hal, closing his tired eyes involuntarily.

"Hal…" Matt mumbled.

"Yeah, buddy?" Hal kissed the top of his brother's head and closed his own aching eyes.

"I'm sorry I got angry before. I just… I was scared, and I don't want to lose you like Mom." Matt's sleepy voice sounded very young and frightened.

Hal sighed painfully, holding in tears. He nodded weakly against Matt's head.

"You're not going to lose me, buddy. I'm not going anywhere."

"Hal…" Matt trailed off quietly.

"Mm?" Hal whispered.

"I love you…" Matt body slumped slightly after a moment, and Hal knew he had fallen asleep.

Hal let a tear streak down his throbbing cheek now, sighing shakily.

"I love you, too Casper."

Hal rested in bed, his arm still holding Matt close. Matt had been asleep for a little more than an hour, and Hal hoped he would stay asleep for a few more hours. He needed sleep.

Hal needed sleep, too, but that was a lost hope. He couldn't sleep. Not with all the pain he was forced to carry, both physical and emotional. Hal couldn't escape the agony ripping through his body, and he couldn't erase the memories that were scarred into his weary mind.

His thoughts were so scattered. He kept replaying various moments from his past. His mind would jump from the memory of him nearly getting Matt killed to the moment he stumbled across his mother's dead body to the look his father held after Hal had nearly shot himself to the mech slaughtering those poor children to everything that had happened after Karen had take him.

So many memories flashed through his exhausted mind. Watching Maggie get tortured, hearing Matt's terrified screams, tasting all the blood in his mouth in what he had assumed would be his last moments, the crack of Ben's neck, Tom rocking back and forth while cradling his dead child, Karen jabbing the staff into his stomach, sending a billion excruciating volts through his body, collapsing into his father's arms after everything.

"Hal?" The voice that rung into Hal's throbbing head sounded hesitant and a little frightened. He glanced down at Matt to find him still cuddled to his side, sleeping soundly.

"Hal?"" The voice was a little louder now, and Hal glanced to the door slowly. He felt his stomach lurch painfully, and he closed his eyes briefly, trying to calm himself down.

"I just... I wanted to see how you were doing... I can leave..." Ben hesitated at the door, waiting for Hal to respond.

Hal still said nothing, finding his words getting choked in his throat. He opened his eyes and looked at Ben, trying terribly to stay calm. But he was failing.

Hal, give me what I need, or I break his neck.

"Hal?" Ben was watching him closely now, his eyes full of concern.

Have it your way, then.

"Hal, are you okay?" Ben had taken a few steps closer to Hal upon noticing how heavy his breathing was, and the thin gleam of sweat forming on his face. He watched him, ready to run for help if needed.

"Ben..." Hal seemed to come back to reality, blinking a few times. Ben noticed how red his eyes were. They were swimming with unshed tears as he met Ben's eyes.

"Yeah?" Ben searched Hal's face carefully, trying to ignore how pained and miserable he looked.

"I... I, uh... Huh..." Hal suddenly began to shake weakly and tears started to slip down his wounded cheeks. He was sobbing silently, so that Matt wouldn't wake.

Hal dropped his head into his hands and tried to stop crying, but he couldn't. The pain was too much, and he knew he couldn't avoid it.

"I'm so sorry, Ben... I'm so fucking sorry..." Hal whimpered, his voice muffled by his hands.

Ben rushed to the bedside and crouched down, watching Hal helplessly.

"What are you sorry for, Hal?" The fear slipped through unintentionally, and it made Hal look up at him.

Hal swallowed loudly, regaining some of his composure. He inhaled shakily as he looked at Ben with so much pain and guilt in his eyes that it sent a shiver down Ben's spine.

"When Karen..." Hal stopped, feeling another sob rise in his throat. He forced it back and continued on quietly.

"When Karen took me... I... She... Goddammit!" Hal became very frustrated as he found it more and more difficult to finish his sentence. He looked at Ben weakly. Ben waited patiently, his eyes focused intensely on Hal.

Hal sighed and closed his eyes almost against his will. His jaw tightened as he built up the willpower to speak again.

"Karen put me in... Some sort of alternate reality... It was real, but fake at the same time..." Hal paused, waiting for Ben to say something. When he remained silent, Hal continued shakily.

"She... Everyone was there... You and Dad, and Maggie, Pope... Even Matt..." Hal coughed nervously, his heart beginning to beat harder. "She, uh... She kept us strapped down... She wanted to know about the attack the rebels are planning on the Espheni base, and when I wouldn't talk..." Hal looked away from Ben and stared at a wall, his face hardening, his eyes darkening.

"She nearly killed Maggie. She electrocuted her until she was only barely alive. I tried to stop her, and a Skitter attacked me. I was dying, but I still refused to talk, so she brought Matt in... Threatened me with him, tortured me in front of him." Hal subconsciously tightened his grip around Matt, feeling an immediate urge to keep him safe.

Hal still kept his gaze even with the wall, his expression so hardened and filled with so much agony.

"When that didn't work, she brought you in. She... She started to choke you, and I... Uh... I was too late. I waited too long, and she... Broke your neck. Dad managed to break us all out, and we were in some field. Dad was holding your body, sobbing..." Hal glanced down at the hand that rested in his lap. His jaw tightened and his eyes flicked with rage as he recalled this memory.

Ben's heart sank. He struggled to keep his breathing steady. He had no idea Hal had been through so much. He had no idea he had witnessed so much. It hadn't been real, but it had. And Hal had been forced to live through it, completely and utterly alone. He had watched the love of his life all but die, he'd been cruelly tortured in front of his baby brother, and then he had watched his other brother be murdered ruthlessly at the hands of the devil herself.

Hal had been tossed out to fend for himself after weeks of endless and torturous mind games and diligent physical abuse. He had witnessed things that had been both real and fake, and it had all left him severely disoriented and terribly miserable. He was lost and confused and in so much pain that it nearly consumed him. He had let his brother die without putting up any fight, and then he discovered that he was still alive and everything he remembered was just a cruel, taunting lie.

Ben watched Hal for several long moments, wanting more than anything to just reach out and comfort him. But he didn't even know where to begin. Ben had thought that his time spent being harnessed had been so difficult and painful, but as he looked into Hal's dark eyes, he realized what hell was really like. Hal had been through things that no one would ever be able to understand. He had lived through the worst life could offer, and there was nothing anyone could do to change that.

Hal looked at Ben, feeling numb and pained at the same time. He found his brother's face was filled with agony, his eyes shimmering with tears. He drew in a long, aching breath, wincing as his chest screamed in protest.

"Ben... I-" Hal began, his voice so quiet it was barely audible. But Ben stopped him.

"I, uh... I gotta go..." Ben stood abruptly, a few tears sneaking their way down his pale face. He wiped them away harshly and turned on his heels so quickly he nearly tripped.

Hal watched, confused and saddened, as Ben rushed from the room. He swallowed tightly and closed his eyes weakly. Hal regretted telling Ben anything. If he had stayed quiet, Ben wouldn't be upset and he would still be here with Hal.

Hal needed Ben. After everything that had happened, he needed his brother. But he knew he didn't deserve him. He didn't deserve any of his family, or Maggie. Hal felt, at this moment, like the only thing he truly deserved was the excruciating pain that raged throughout each and every cell in his body.

Hal opened his eyes and glanced back down at Matt, who looked so peaceful and normal sleeping beneath Hal's grip. Hal may not deserve his family, or their love, but he still had to protect them. He had to keep them safe. He knew what was in store for them, for all of the 2nd Mass, and Hal was more than determined to keep them all safe. Even if it meant giving up his own life.