I'm sorry I haven't updated in a while, but I finally finished the Gregory arc! So have three chapters, yes, three! I hope you enjoy them! Just a quick trigger warning, the following chapters do contain brief fantasising about dying, which I thought warranted a heads-up.

Everything was falling apart. Ogron was jumpy and starting at every little sound, snapping at any attempt at conversation, while Gantlos seemed to barely manage to meet anyone's gaze, choking on his words whenever he started trying to speak, and Anagan could see the tear tracks staining both their cheeks. He was trying to help…but neither would let him get near.

Ogron staggered out from his corner, his gaze so hazy that Anagan wouldn't have been at all surprised to know that he hadn't slept a wink that was safe from whatever fresh hell his mind had been plaguing him with as of late.

'Good morning…' He got no reply. Just the sight of Ogron having to support himself on the wall as he tried to walk in a straight line to rouse Gregory.

'I can get him up, if you want?' Anagan offered, his heart twisting as he watched the sad spectacle. 'You can go wait outside…or I can spar with him today…might make things easier…you can get some sleep…'

Ogron froze at the words, flinching at the offer of sleep.

'Why?' he growled softly, sounding more shattered than angry. 'Because I'm too weak to train him myself?'

'No!' Anagan rubbed his temples, sighing. 'Ogron, you look exhausted…'

'I'm fine. Stop trying to baby me. If you need some project to busy your mind, I would recommend you attempt to fix Gantlos instead.'

Anagan invested a great deal of focus in his breathing, inhaling and exhaling with a slow, controlled frustration. This was getting old. He loved Ogron, he loved him so much, but this…there were only so many times he could be brushed off and snapped at before he started snapping back. A run could only work out so much anger.

'Gantlos doesn't need fixing,' he gritted out, though, honestly, Ogron's sentiment wasn't far off. They hadn't spoken since Gantlos had yelled at him to leave Duman's grave, and he wasn't sure of the state of their relationship. Gantlos had approached him a few times, seemingly wanting to speak, maybe even apologise, but after a few seconds of silence, he'd grunt and turn away, stalking outside and back to wherever it was he was spending his days. Not Duman's grave, but he hadn't been captured yet, so Anagan wasn't worried he was endangering himself. Or…not too worried, at least.

'Whatever…' Ogron muttered, striding to rouse Gregory. And so it began again…yet another day of Anagan drowning in his own worries, with no hope of a conversational life raft to get him out of it.

The day passed slowly, the silence of the warehouse intermittently shattered by the sound of a pained cry from the training ground, or the sound of a body hitting something it really shouldn't. Each time, his heart crumbled a little more.

The shadows were stretching by the time the door creaked open, and Anagan glanced up to see Gantlos standing in the evening light, staring down at the floor like he didn't know what he was doing there, but his feet were rooted to the spot.

'…Hey.'

Anagan blinked with surprise. That was the first time Gantlos had spoken to him in days. Confused, but feeling a hesitant sense of relief, he replied with the only word that sprung to mind. 'Hey.'

'Anagan…' Gantlos's words were slow, halting, like he was dragging each one from his throat and forcing it past his lips. 'I…can…can we…please…can we…can…we talk?'

'Of course.' Anagan moved across on the crate the had become his personal worrying nook, patting the spot next to him. Gantlos's face lit up at the immediate welcome, and he hurried over, sitting down awkwardly, but close.

'What's up?'

'I…' Gantlos took a slow, deep breath, running a hand through his hair as he evidently tried to sort through his thoughts. 'Anagan…I…I'm so sorry.'

Anagan's breath caught in his throat, and he managed to stay silent, sensing it was taking all of Gantlos's weakened resolve to stay there and speak. But he was apologising! He was…speaking to him. It suddenly hit him just how much he'd missed Gantlos. He wanted his friend back…

'I was…the way I acted…you weren't…you didn't…I shouldn't have…' Gantlos groaned, covering his face with his hands. 'I'm sorry, I'm so bad at this…'

Anagan put a gentle hand on his shoulder, steady and encouraging. 'I'll wait. Take your time.'

Gantlos managed a weak smile, before drawing a slow, steadying breath. 'I'm sorry for yelling, for telling you to leave. You…you had a point…and I do care. I care if Ogron's hurting, I care a lot, I just…it's easier? I guess? To not get involved. I can barely hold myself together, I don't feel like I can help hold him together too… But you were just trying to help, and I'm sorry, Anagan.'

'I forgive you.' Anagan swept him up into the first hug they'd shared in weeks, sighing with relief at feeling the warm, muscular form back in his arms again. 'I'm sorry too. I was snappish, and I should have been a lot more sensitive, especially given everything…'

Gantlos slowly returned the hug, pulling Anagan closer, the tight, steady bear hug a comfort Anagan had missed.

'I…I really missed you, you know…' Anagan murmured.

'Missed you too.' They pulled apart, and for a few moments, everything seemed at peace.

Then the peace shattered.

'Don't you dare walk away from me!'

'What the hell is wrong with you?! We've been at this all damn day, stop!'

'We will stop when you have completed the spell to my satisfaction!'

'Oh, you wanna see a spell! Fine! F*#k it! Here's your stupid spell!'

A stream of green energy so dark it was almost black shot past Ogron, and several crates were sucked into themselves until they vanished from existence.

'Happy now?! I did your spell!'

Gantlos and Anagan stared agog at the devastating use of magic. That should be impossible for someone as young as Gregory, with so little training…how hard had Ogron been pushing him?

'Well do it again!' Ogron snarled, his gaze sharp for once rather than hazy and ill. 'You can only do it when you lose control; that isn't good enough!'

'I'll lose control all over you stupid, smug face!' Gregory screamed, and the building shook.

'Oh my god…' Gantlos muttered, looking at the scene with shocked horror.

Anagan was already up and grabbing Gregory's arm before he could cast whatever furious spell he was planning. 'Gregory! Gregory, calm down! Take a deep breath, just stop!'

Gregory tried to shake him off, but Anagan managed to turn him away from Ogron, placing both hands on his shoulders in a desperate attempt to ground the flailing teen.

'It's okay…it's okay, you just have to calm down. You're losing control, Gregory…'

'Because he won't let me have any!' Gregory screamed, his eyes more blaze than eye. 'Every time I try and control what I'm doing, it just gets weaker, and he tells me to make it stronger, so I get mad, and then he gets mad that I'm mad…he's impossible!'

'I'm trying to help you, you little-'

Before Anagan could try and stop Ogron, Gantlos, to Anagan's immense surprise and immeasurable relief and gratitude, caught their leader's wrist, shaking his head. 'Ogron…Ogron, stop. You're making it worse.'

Ogron's eyes widened at Gantlos actually stepping in, but his breathing didn't ease. His expression hardened, and he shook off Gantlos's hand. 'I'm trying to help him, Gantlos!'

'This isn't helping,' Gantlos said softly, his eyes pained as he looked at what he'd been avoiding. 'Ogron…you know that…you know you have to be careful with him…'

'I can't!' Ogron almost screamed, his voice almost cracking. 'You know that!'

'Why can't you, huh?' Gregory demanded, shaking Anagan off and stalking forwards. 'Why can't you? This how you treat your team? Cause I gotta say, if it is, then it's getting damn clear why the Winx beat you guys.'

Ogron almost turned puce. 'How dare you!'

'How dare you! How dare you just yell and act like this! I know there wasn't much choice, but you should still treat me with respect!'

'Not much choice?' Ogron repeated, his eyes flickering with confusion and not a small amount of fear at the idea Gregory knew the truth. Meanwhile, Anagan's stomach almost fell out of him. No…

'Yeah! To complete your circle or whatever. I know I'm like the only guy around that can do all this shit, but-'

'To what?' Gantlos demanded, his voice low and dangerous, edged with an incredulous hurt. 'What did you say?'

Gregory scowled at the interruption, crossing his arms. 'To complete your circle, since the last guy died or whatever, you needed me.' He faltered as everything fell silent. '…Right?'

Gantlos looked like he couldn't breathe. '…Why…where…what would put that idea in your head?!'

'A-Anagan told me! He said you guys didn't want to talk about it, but that you needed me!'

Gantlos's gaze whipped to Anagan, and even Ogron stared at him in blatant confusion. 'Anagan…Anagan, tell me he's delusional…'

'Hey!'

Anagan ignored Gregory, staring at the floor, pleading with his words not to abandon him. No…no…he'd been praying Gregory would never let that slip out…

'I…'

Gregory stared between the hurt, furious gazes being exchanged, evidently sensing something was going on that he had absolutely no place in. Knowing him, that wouldn't have been enough to keep him out of it, but thankfully, the slow, livid breaths from Gantlos made a good case for anyone that could leave to hightail it out of there.

'Know what, this seems super private and stuff…let's take five.' Anagan barely heard him hurry outside, the rush of regret deafening. He shouldn't have said this…

'Anagan…' Gantlos breathed, stalking closer. 'What did you say to him?'

'He was going to leave…' Anagan whispered, his voice trembling. 'I couldn't let him…he said I either tell him why he was here, or he'd walk…' He glanced up to Ogron, pleading for him to understand. 'I knew Neruman would hurt you…I couldn't let him…'

'So you decided to make him Duman's replacement?!' Gantlos demanded furiously. 'Nobody replaces Duman, Anagan! Nobody!'

'I know! I know, and he's not…I never saw him like that…I was just trying to help…'

Gantlos wasn't mollified. 'That doesn't change the fact that you just…you just let him into our circle! Told him he was Duman's replacement!'

'You should have told us,' Ogron chastised, and Anagan winced.

'I couldn't…'

'Why not?' Ogron demanded. 'You don't make the decisions for this team, Anagan; you can't decide on our cover on your own. Why couldn't you tell us?'

'Because I knew you'd both be furious with me for it…'

'I think we have a right to be!' Gantlos snapped, his voice almost cracking. 'What were you thinking?!'

'What was I thinking?' Anagan whispered, his voice soft and sad. But underneath, something burned hotter. 'What was I thinking?' He was so sick of this. Of trying, and trying, and trying, and nobody caring. 'I was thinking-' he started, his voice rising despite his best efforts to stay calm. '-that it was keep Gregory here or watch Neruman beat the life out of one of my best friends!'

Gantlos stepped back in surprise. Anagan never yelled. He stayed calm, listened. He could probably count on one hand the times he'd snapped. Well, now he needed two hands.

'I was thinking that I didn't have any other ideas, because the two people that are supposed to be helping me were making themselves ill and detaching from reality entirely! I made a spilt-second decision I couldn't take back, and you know what? You know what?! It worked! It helped! He's still here! We're as safe as we can be, and nobody cares! Nobody cares! Nobody cares that I helped! Nobody cares that I am always trying to help! All you do is ignore me, and snap at me, and nobody has even once asked if I'm actually okay! Because I'm not! The only family that I've got left is falling apart, and I'm trying to hold it together while it shatters itself!' Hot, salty tears spilled down his cheeks, his defences too distracted by his yelling to spare so much a glance for them, letting them tumble down his face and fall to the floor.

Ogron and Gantlos both looked utterly taken aback, staring in surprise and not a small amount of guilt at Anagan's meltdown.

As the echoes of his shouts finally settled against the grimy walls, Anagan caught his breath. For a few seconds, the only sound was his slow, laboured breathing as he tried to fully understand everything that had just happened. Everything was…was just too much…

'I'm sorry…' he muttered, turning on his heel and bolting outside before either of his friends could react. Thank god for his speed, because otherwise he'd barely have made it beyond the warehouse before he fell to his knees, curling up between two crates and sobbing. God…he wasn't meant to fall apart…he was supposed to hold it together. Keep it all together so his friends had someone steady, and calm, and safe…he was meant to be the safe space, not the sobbing on the floor because everything's gone to hell space! But he just…he just couldn't, not now, not again. He couldn't push his own frustration down for them.

He buried his face in his hands and just screamed in exhausted, broken fury. He was so tired…this wasn't fair! None of this was fair! They were stuck, trapped by Neruman, and he couldn't fix it! He couldn't help Ogron, he couldn't do anything! He was so f*#king useless!

'Useless…' he repeated in a broken whisper, not bothering to brush away his tears. Was that why nobody took his concern into account? Because they knew he couldn't help them, no matter how hard he tried…?

'Why should they? It's not like I can get us out of this…' And now all he'd done was make things worse. With his stupid, useless breakdown-

'Anagan!' He glanced up at the voice. It was Ogron, but he didn't sound mad. Just…worried. And very much out of breath. 'Anagan! Ugh, damn you and your super speed…you could be in Morocco right now…' Not quite. He could have made it into the next state if he'd been running this entire time.

'…Over here…' He really just wanted to be left alone, and maybe keep crying until he didn't have any liquid left to weep, but Ogron was far too weak right now to run across the whole estate looking for him.

'Oh thank god…' Footsteps hurried over, and Ogron appeared, his eyes widening as he saw Anagan hunched up against a crate, eyes red and puffy from crying, breathing hitching and broken.

'I…I shouldn't have yelled- I-' His apology was cut off as Ogron hurled his arms around him, pulling him close with more strength than his appearance would suggest.

'I'm sorry…' Ogron's own breath hitched, and Anagan's eyes widened, at a loss.

'W…why?'

'You're right…you're right, I never once thought about how you were feeling, or how hard all this must be on you…' Ogron pulled away, and Anagan was surprised to see a sheen across his glacial gaze. 'I'm so sorry…I'm sorry, I've been a terrible leader and a worse friend…'

'No you haven't! Ogron, I-'

'No, don't.' Ogron shook his head, pulling away from Anagan slightly. 'For once, this…isn't about me. I won't turn this into yet another time you have to hold me together. Anagan, I've been truly awful to you over the past week…the few times I haven't been ignoring you, I've been snapping and snarling, and…and I'm so sorry…you've been trying to help me, and all I've been able to do was vilify you for it and make myself worse…'

'It's not like you had much of a choice…' Anagan started, but Ogron shook his head.

'No. No, I have a choice. I always have a choice.' His voice trembled as he spoke his next words. '…I have to…' With a deep, regretful sigh, he reached across, his hand shaking as he brushed away the tears marring Anagan's haggard face. 'I'm sorry I acted like I didn't care…I do care…I care if you help, if you hurt…I care about you so much, and I hate myself for not making sure you know it, Anagan…' The words broke Anagan's last threads holding him to serenity. He fell into Ogron's arms, sobbing into his shoulder, the same way Ogron had shattered into his and Gantlos's arms weeks ago.

'I'm sorry…' he whispered, his breathing wild and erratic. 'I'm sorry I can't fix this…I'm sorry you're suffering…I'm sorry any of this ever happened…I…I…I should have stopped you from running to Omega…tried to talk you down…that's my job, and I should have stopped you…I should have prevented this…'

'No…' Ogron stroked his hair with slow, steady strokes, murmuring into the rumpled locks. 'No, Anagan…this is my fault…my madness is my own fault…it's not your job to keep me under control…it's not your job to try and fix any of this…it's not your job to keep it together…'

'You…you both need me…to hold it together…I'm supposed to hold it together so you can break…'

'Let me hold it together right now, then…' Ogron whispered. 'You can break, it's okay, I'l hold you together…I promise.' And so he did. Anagan trusted Ogron with all that he was, and, as many tendencies as he had that aligned strongly with being a pathological liar, he would never, never lie to Anagan. If he said he could break…he could break. In sobs and in screams, he broke, in Ogron's arms, safe and shattered.

'…So that's how it feels to have a breakdown.'

'Mhm. I have a few each month, just to keep practised.'

Anagan glanced up at Ogron, and a weak, uncertain laugh escaped through his lingering tears. He hadn't heard that jaded, sarcastic humour in weeks…years, really. Not since before Omega.

'I missed that…' he murmured, wiping his eyes and managing a hug in which the effort was a tad more mutual. 'I missed both of you…so much…'

'I'm sorry you had to miss us at all…' Ogron sighed, stroking Anagan's hair again. 'I really have been a dreadful friend as of late, haven't I?'

'You've been doing really well, all things considered.'

Ogron had no idea what he'd ever done to deserve someone like this man in his life. He had been just awful lately, and Anagan was smiling at him. He'd driven him to a breakdown, the first Ogron had witnessed since Anagan was young, and yet, he was smiling. It wasn't even forced. No shield to hide a scowl…he genuinely forgave him. He loved him so much. He wanted to explain, to tell him why he'd been like this, but-

But what? What was blocking the words from leaving his lips? Why was he so afraid of letting Anagan in? He wouldn't hurt him, wouldn't judge him…all that holding this inside had done for him was make him angry and hurtful, make him feel isolated an alone in a sea of his own trauma and self-loathing.

'…Anagan?'

'Mhm?' Anagan looked to him curiously, his eyes still wet but with a slow, hesitant spark rekindling within his gaze. 'What is it?'

'I…' No, Anagan was still shattered…he shouldn't have to take this on…but then who did? With whom did he share this burden? Gantlos was just as broken…

'Ogron, what is it? You know you can talk to me.'

'I…I don't want to burden you, I'm sorry…'

'Ogron.' Anagan's voice grew firmer, steadier. 'Ogron, if you'd burdened me before, I think we could have avoided a full-blown meltdown on the floor.'

Ogron had to agree with that. If he'd just told Gantlos and Anagan about Neruman…it hadn't changed anything when he had, but…it had got a little easier. Keeping everything trapped inside just made his heart ache. And he was sick of feeling one tear from a heart attack.

'I'm turning into him.' He couldn't think of any other way to say it.

'Huh? Turning into who?'

Ogron couldn't say the name, not yet. Allusion was all he had, until Anagan either pieced it together on his own or it slipped out in a fit of raving madness. …He was rather hoping for the former, if he was being frank.

'Gregory…I…when I teach him…' He snorted humourlessly. 'Teach. As though I deserve that word. I don't…I don't treat him well, you've seen it. I'm under pressure, and I'm scared, but…still…there's no excuse.'

'Ogron…' Anagan put a hand on his arm, and Ogron was tempted to simply hug him, cry, and avoid this whole mess entirely. But he'd come this far. Even a few footsteps felt like a marathon he couldn't turn back from, and he drew breath to continue.

'I'm…forcing him into magic he doesn't want…I don't care for his efforts, even when they're good…I barely treat him like a person…' He swallowed hard. 'I feel like I'm turning into…into…' He glanced to Anagan, pleading with him to say it for him.

Never once had Anagan let him down, and today was no exception. 'Yllidith?' The word was clear, simple. It didn't sound so terrifying from his lips. Not as terrifying as the spine-chilling echoed screams that bounced around his own mind.

'Mhm…' He nodded, grimacing, some part of him expecting Anagan to tell him he was being irrational and overreacting, and that this was stupid, not worth discussing, oh god, why had he said anything, he was just being-

'It'll be okay.'

Ogron's breath caught in his throat as he heard the words, felt the arms close around him. It'll be okay. The words he didn't dare tell himself. The words that sounded like lies from any lips but these. When Anagan said it, it almost felt…almost felt true.

'You're not him,' Anagan asserted softly. 'You'd never be him. You care that you're snapping, you care about what you're doing, and he never did. You're so, so much better than him…and you're strong enough to tell me how you feel…he didn't even have feelings other than 'I wonder how much I can toy with people before I break them'. And you do genuinely want Gregory to succeed, you just haven't been given the freedom to facilitate that.' To his surprise, Ogron's cheeks warmed as Anagan pressed a reassuring kiss to the top of his head. 'You're not him, and you never will be.'

'I feel like him…'

'You're not. You're not, I promise you're not.' There were a few moments of soft, companionable silence, before Anagan said something truly unexpected. '…I'm really proud of you, y'know.'

'Huh?' Ogron sat up, staring at him in confusion. 'Proud? Of me? …Why?'

Anagan offered a small, fondly exasperated smile at his oblivious response. 'You told me. You never tell me things unprompted. You have breakdowns first, explain later. I'm proud of you for expressing this…'

Ogron smiled weakly. He supposed that was true. He didn't like to share how he felt if he didn't have to. But…it made things easier. He'd spoken his mind, the things tormenting him, and nothing had gone wrong. Anagan had listened, reassured him, and…well, it didn't change the way he'd acted, but…Anagan wasn't wrong. He'd spoken the reassurance Ogron hadn't let himself think. And maybe he was right. He was always right.

'…Thank you. I…I truly didn't intend to make this about me.'

Anagan shook his head. 'Don't worry about it. I…I like us being…mutually there. For each other.'

'I like that too.'

'You know…' Ogron began again after a minute. 'Speaking of Yllidith…doesn't this remind you of when we were young? Crunched away in here?'

Anagan snorted. 'Oh god…oh god, you're right.' When they were young, they'd stolen a fair few moments like this when Yllidith was busy elsewhere during training. The trouble they got into for laughing in front of him…well, also the trouble they got into if they were found huddled under a staircase. There weren't many things one didn't get into trouble with Yllidith for. Neruman wasn't the first psycho they'd been enslaved by, but Ogron supposed that, just as last time, his friends were his lifeline.

'We…we should go find Gantlos…' Anagan said after a minute, sitting up properly and glancing towards the warehouse. As little as Ogron wanted to get up, they couldn't leave Gantlos on his own like this. With a nod, he followed Anagan back out into the hazy sunshine, but, once they looked back inside, Gantlos was nowhere to be found. Nor was Gregory, but Ogron harboured far more concern for his friend than for the kid. (He sort of feared for his own body if they lost Gregory, but he was out of his own panic for once, and opting to ignore that.)

'Where is he?!' Okay, perhaps it had been premature to say he was out of panic. He…had moved his panic. To Gantlos. He had too much panic to escape it.

'Ogron, calm down.' Anagan paused, tapping his foot thoughtfully. '…Ah.'

'Ah? What's ah? Ah as in you've found him?'

'I think I know where he is.'

Ogron had never much liked nature. That much was evident as he grumbled his way through bushes and briars, scowling at insects like they were on a personal mission to ruin his life.

'Anagan…' he began, shying away from a moth. 'Are you quite sure you know where you're going?'

'Mhm.' Anagan knew exactly where he was going. There was one place he knew Gantlos would go right now. Duman. He would always go to Duman when he was hurting. And since Duman was gone…Anagan had brought them to the closest thing left.

Ogron's eyes widened as they stepped into the clearing, both men stopping short at the sight of the blonde hunched over next to the scorched grass, crying quietly into his hands.

'…Gantlos?'

Gantlos froze at Ogron's voice.

'Gantlos, I'm sorry.' Anagan crossed the clearing with quiet respect, kneeling next to Gantlos. 'I'm sorry I told Gregory that Duman was being replaced. I never once believed it, you need to know that.'

'Mhm…' Anagan had rarely heard Gantlos sniffle, but today he did. He sounded utterly broken down, shattered under his own grief.

'It feels like neither of you want to talk about him…like you don't remember him…'

'Don't talk nonsense!' Ogron interjected, sitting down next to them. 'Of course we remember Duman! I remember him every day! And I want to scream and cry every f*#king day!'

Gantlos's eyes widened slightly, tears still spilling from them. '…You do?'

'Of course I do! Gantlos, Duman was one of my best friends! I miss him, and all his stupid jokes and pranks and when he called me out on being an insomniac wreck…!' Ogron glanced away, brushing at his eyes. '…We both miss him. And I'm sorry we haven't talked about him the way we should. It's just been hard, recently, and I…I didn't really feel like I could, not without shattering…'

'I didn't know if you wanted to talk about him,' Anagan added, putting an arm around Gantlos as he hid his face and his tears. 'I would never want to hurt you, Gantlos.'

'…Thanks. And…Anagan…I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you.' Gantlos brushed away his tears, getting slowly to his feet. Anagan frowned slightly, almost saying for him to wait. They needed to talk about this more. Gantlos was still obviously hurting, and 'thanks' didn't fix that.

'Where's Gregory?' …Since when did Gantlos care where Gregory was? Unless maybe he was being hit by a car?

'You guys didn't lose him, did you?' Oh. Anagan was suddenly very aware that Gregory now knew he'd been lying. Knew that whyever he was here, it wasn't to complete the Circle. Anagan's stomach dropped. They couldn't lose him!

Gantlos facepalmed, hiding away in exasperation. 'Tell me you didn't prioritise me over Ogron staying alive.'

'I can decide what to prioritise over my own life,' Ogron said calmly, though his voice shook slightly.

'Shit…if he's left, we're all screwed.' Gantlos spun to leave, but before he moved, he darted a quick glance back to the clearing. 'I'm sorry. I'll come back, I promise.'

Ogron and Anagan had to jump to their feet as Gantlos started running back towards the warehouse, Anagan politely not pulling ahead of Ogron. He didn't need to be left behind. Not now.

Gantlos hadn't been wrong to rush back. The warehouse was empty. No sign of Gregory. Yelling didn't summon him. It seldom did, honestly.

'Gregory!' Ogron yelled, his panicked shout echoing off the walls like a doomed spectre. 'Gregory, we have to talk to you! We can explain!' No answer. No answer. No answer. Dammit, why couldn't he just have gone with that damned lie?!? Gregory had been staying, he'd believed it…and he'd flipped out with Gantlos and wrecked everything! Everything…

Neruman would be furious. He'd wanted Gregory. He'd given Ogron one job. Train him. At no point had he said to lose him!

'Shit…' Gantlos muttered, his gaze roving across the building, the wall still crumbling from that morning. 'We gotta find him.'

'Why bother? He's already gone…' Ogron hugged his arms around himself, trying desperately to control his breathing. To his dismay, his lungs took control from his brain, drawing sharp, shallow gasps that turned his vision hazy.

'Ogron!' Anagan tried to guide him to sit, but he couldn't. How could he not have worried about where Gregory was?! What was wrong with him?! He was dead…

'Ogron, breathe.' Gantlos took hold of his shoulders, keeping him from tumbling to the floor as his hyperventilating worsened. 'It'll be okay, we'll find him.'

'What if he went back to them…?' Ogron whispered, his voice barely a ragged breath. 'What if he went back to the Winx…tells them where we are…they'll send us to Omega if they find us!'

Gantlos and Anagan exchanged a glance he didn't really understand, his mind too tormented with flashes of frozen screams and echoes of his torture at his own hands.

'No…no no no no no…' He couldn't be having yet another panic attack! He couldn't! Ugh, why was he this weak…?

'Ogron, it'll be okay…' Anagan tried, but Ogron was too deep in his own panic.

'No! No it won't! If Gregory left…worse, if he went back to the Winx…! Oh god, Neruman's going to kill me. Actually kill me…slowly, and painfully, and at my own hands!' He covered his face with his hands, tears starting to brim in his eyes. 'I can't…I can't get tortured, not again. I can't…'

'You won't,' Gantlos said firmly, his grip tightening with determination. 'We'll find Gregory, and we'll bring him back, however we have to. We won't let you get hurt, Ogron…'

'You won't have a choice…you know you won't have a choice… Neruman wants Gregory, and we lost him! We lost him!' A part of Ogron thought that maybe, just maybe, that was a good thing. Gregory didn't deserve this…didn't deserve to be enslaved like them. But he didn't have the luxury of morals right now. He just had to get Gregory back, get him to Neruman.

'We'll be fine,' Anagan reassured him, frowning as he visibly tried to think up a plan. 'We'll be fine. We'll find Gregory. I don't know if he'll want to stay here any longer, but we can get him to Neruman, at least. I don't think he can be too angry, not if we didn't lose Gregory. Gantlos can use his tracking powers, follow him…we'll get him back. Neruman won't hurt you. We won't let him.'

'…Who the heck is Neruman?'

Ogron's breath caught in his throat. Slowly, terrified of what he'd see, he turned. There, standing in the doorway, backlit by twilight, was the very boy he sought. Looking very much like he did not plan to stick around any longer.

'Gregory!' He didn't get to speak another word as Gregory stalked towards him, the ground shattering underneath his feet.

'You heard what I asked! Who's Neruman?! And what are you talking about, giving me to him?'

Ogron scrambled for an explanation. Any explanation. He was a good liar! He should be able to spin a story and waltz his way out of this, but the words stuck in his throat, a jumbled mess of panic and fear.

'Gregory, we can explain-' Anagan tried, but Gregory cut him off with a furious stomp, shaking the building.

'I don't want to hear any more of your lies! Ogron! Tell me! Who is Neruman?! Why am I here?! What do you all want from me?'

Ogron's lips moved in a silent, desperate plea for Gregory not to ask questions, not to leave, but Gregory didn't care.

'Oh, f*#k this! I cannot believe I came back here! I'm so done with this bullshit-!' He fell silent as Gantlos froze, his entire body going ramrod straight. '…What's the matter with you?'

'Oh, shit…' Gantlos muttered, turning to look towards the door. 'Guys…the Winx are here.'