Grey could only see blackness all around. As for what he felt, he could feel himself being jostled about but had no idea where he was going. Grey also felt a searing pain for a while. For a time, he was stuck in that darkness, unable to leave. At one point or another, Grey tried to speak, but no sound came out.
I wonder what's going on w/o me. I hope Cedric's alright, Grey thought.
After a long while, the searing pain that Grey felt lessened over time until he felt nothing! Eventually, Grey saw a bright light in the distance. He slowly drifted over to it. As Grey got closer, the light grew bigger and bigger until it looked like it could fill a whole room! Grey looked at the light and hesitated for a bit. After pausing for a bit, he walked into the light and...








...




Grey groggily opened his eyes. When his vision cleared, he was in a strange white room w/ weird box-like things that had numbers and lines on them. When Grey looked down, he was in an odd bed w/ a bluish blanket. On his arm, there was a thin thing strapped to his right hand. Looking a bit closer, Grey saw and felt that something had been inserted into his stitched skin. He also noticed that his hand felt noticeably colder than his left hand and that the thing in his hand was attached to a clear bag. As Grey pushed himself up a tiny bit, he felt a dull ache in his chest. When he touched his chest, it felt notably bumpier than usual and quite a bit more tender. Grey then looked around the room a bit and was delighted to see his favorite person seated near a panel of see-through glass. Cedric had his hands underneath his chin, brow furrowed, and his mouth set in a frown.
"Cedric?" Grey weakly croaked out.
He was surprised at how weak his voice was. When Cedric heard this, his eyes widened. He turned to Grey, and his face lit up w/ a smile.
"GREY!" he shouted happily as he practically flew over to Grey's side!
Cedric immediately wrapped his arms around Grey (he, of course, made sure to be gentler than usual due to Grey's chest), and tears streamed down his face as he smiled. Cedric then proceeded to sob out that he'd missed Grey SO MUCH and how angry he was that Grey had left him, but, at the same time, he kissed Grey all over the face, saying how happy he was that Grey was safe! Once Cedric was done, and Grey's face was a blushing mess, Grey could finally get a word in.
"How did I get here? What happened to Azrael and Asmodeus?" Grey finally said weakly.
Cedric then pulled back at that. His expression was a bit disgusted.
"Oh. Right. I kinda forgot that wouldn't know what happened," Cedric said.
He then proceeded to explain what had happened. Azrael and Asmodeus showed up at the Freelancers' base. When Cedric answered the door, he'd been horrified at first by the duo's new forms. Once he saw Grey's cut-up and unconscious body, however, he'd gotten furious and basically attempted to murder Azrael and Asmodeus w/ his bare hands. Asmodeus had guarded Azrael, and when Cedric attacked him, his attacks did nothing. It took every Freelancer and a SOUL control from Asmodeus to EVENTUALLY calm Cedric down enough so that they could bring Grey to a "hospital." During the two days that Grey had been unconscious (Grey gasped at that part), Cedric regularly visited Grey. During that period, Azrael and Asmodeus had been taken into custody by the Freelancers and questioned. Cedric was restrained whenever he spoke to the duo. Otherwise, he'd lose his nerve and attack them. Azrael and Asmodeus explained their story while in custody. Azrael had done most of the talking. He'd explained the duo's backstory, both he and Asmodeus profusely apologized for everything, and they were also ready to receive a punishment. Azrael did try and appeal, though. Azrael said that he and his partner had been imprisoned in a void for about 100 years or so and that that should have been punishment enough. He also said Asmodeus had been aware the whole time, plus, he'd literally mutilated himself as well, and that the people he killed were mainly criminals. After much time and thought, the Freelancers didn't necessarily forgive the duo (Cedric still held some resentment towards them). But they decided to at least give Azrael and Asmodeus a chance (though Cedric had warned them that they were on "thin ice" and that if they slipped up, Cedric would be AFTER THEM). Cedric then let out a gasping breath once he'd finished his story.
"So... Azrael and Asmodeus will be living w/ us?" Grey asked weakly.
Cedric let out a bit of a snort at that. Grey didn't know how he did it w/o a nose, but he did it.
"Yeah, I guess," Cedric said w/ a hint of disgust, "But everyone will be keeping an eye on them."
Grey wasn't sure how to feel about that. Not too long ago, he'd been enemies w/ those two. Now, they were going to be living together!.
"Where are they going to sleep?" Grey asked.
"Oh, about that. Azrael is staying in Pete's empty room. As for Asmodeus, Oliver is letting him stay in his spot on the condition that Asmodeus doesn't touch his gaming stuff," Cedric replied.
Silence ensued for a bit.
"So..., when are we going home?" Grey finally asked.
"Hold on," Cedric replied.








...




A while later, Grey left the hospital. Cedric had gone and gotten a couple of people in strange clothing. They'd exchanged some words, and one of the people left the room. Another came forward w/ a weird black chair that slid across the floor. On the chair was Grey's clothing. The woman behind the chair removed the thing from Grey's right hand and strapped a soft white thing to it. She then gingerly helped Grey into a sitting position (he got a bit nauseous, and his chest ached a bit while doing so). The woman then removed the strange robe that Grey wore and patiently helped him into his clothes. Once that was done, Grey attempted to stand but immediately gripped his chest as the ache worsened, and his legs felt weak. The woman and Cedric immediately helped him over to the chair and lowered him into it. After all that was done, Cedric then went behind Grey and moved him out of the hospital. Going through the halls was pretty surreal for Grey, and he couldn't help but gape and everything. Eventually, the pair reached the outside. Once they were out and alone, Cedric went in front of Grey.
"Ok, before we go home, I have two things to give you," he said.
Grey gave him a confused look. Cedric then slowly raised his hand. Immediately, he brought it down and smacked Grey's face hard! Grey held his cheek and gave Cedric a face of both shock and astonishment.
"That was for pushing me away and leaving me here alone to fear for your safety," Cedric said w/ a stern glare.
He then lowered himself and gave Grey a mouth kiss. Grey, absolutely confused, couldn't help but blush deeply. After a few seconds, Cedric pulled back, his expression much kinder.
"That was because I can't stay mad at you and because you came back, my stitched sweet," Cedric said w/ a calm smile and blush.
Grey couldn't help but smile and blush harder at that. Cedric then stood up and held his left hand out.
"Ready?" he asked.
"Yes," Grey replied while grabbing his left hand.
Cedric's tail twitched, and the couple disappeared.