To Be a Hero

Chapter 23

A heart attack...

Toby was sat in a hospital waiting room, knee bouncing as he thought, He was ok outside of a few bruises. Tommy and Ranboo had the worst injuries, so Tommy had been rushed here as soon as the shock had worn off. Purpled and Karl had already gotten to the hospital with Ranboo by the time the others got there, and were checked for injuries.

Toby had stayed still longer than the others, staring at Schlatt's body. He had died from a massive heart attack. One that Toby had caused. He had killed the villain. He had started shaking, feeling like he was going to be sick. Then he'd been enveloped in a hug. Phil wrapped his large arms around him, followed by Kristin, and the twins. Tommy was squished against him as their family pulled them both into a hug.

"If you ever scare us like that again I swear to the gods-" Techno muttered, not finishing the thought but the threat was there.

"I will help him" Wilbur added

"I might just let them-" Phil murmured.

Kristin didn't say anything. She was crying tears for her boys, they were here, they were ok for the most part.

Toby felt tears in his own eyes as he hugged back. "I'm so sorry-" he said shakily, "I am so so sorry! I should have told you everything from the beginning, but I was scared, I didn't want you guys to be afraid of me. I didn't want to lose your trust!"

"Dumbass" Tommy pulled him close to himself in a hug, "You're our family...We- we love you..."

"That sounded almost sentimental Tommy-" Wilbur chuckled

"Shut up dickhead-"

Toby chuckled, but it faded "But, my power..."

Techno snorted, "Is a tool, like that detective said the other night... Not good or bad. It depends on the person wielding it. And you, little brother? You've got a good heart. You're a good person. A genuinely good person. Not a lot of people can say that"

"But I just-"

"Protected your friend..." Kristin said softly, wiping at her tears and smiled at her, "And your family...."

His dad and brothers nodded in agreement.

Now, in the waiting room, two sides were warring inside his mind. On the one hand, Kristin was right. Schlatt probably would have killed Ranboo. He hurt Tommy, and Quackity, and probably could have done worse had he been given the chance. He was a villain, he had killed Quackity, Fundy, and George's parents and taken them, he had hurt and killed dozens. He probably would have kept hurting people.

But on the other hand...He had taken a life. Villain or not. And it had been his- no, not his dad. Phil was his dad. But Schlatt had been related to him...the small horns on his head, poking out from his hair, were a tribute to that.

That was another reason he'd come to the hospital. Phil wanted them to look at his horns, make sure they'd grown out properly. They had. And when Toby had asked why they were only just coming in, the woman explained that hybrid traits like that were more often than not late to manifest. It typically happened in the late teens, early 20's.

Gods...his knee was still bouncing as his mind wandered. He was so conflicted, but at least he and his friends, his family were alive...

He was snapped out of his daze by a gentle hand on his shoulder. He looked up and saw Phil smiling softly at him.

"Ranboo and Tommy want to see you...you ready?"

He nodded, getting up. He was grateful for Phil. He and the others had been so...understanding. Kind. Comforting. All of that. And he was so thankful. He didn't know what he would have done had they reacted how he feared they would...