Missile Kid and Show Pony sat by the bed, cans of Power Pup in their laps. Missile was glad she could finally talk to Diamond again. It had occurred to her that Diamond hadn't talked to her or Pony in over a month. They had some catching-up to do.
Pony was more than happy to oblige, talking enough for everyone as he told Diamond everything that she'd missed while unconscious. He was just going over how Party had helped Ghoul and Kobra reconcile with each other, seeing how they'd fought so much during their nights at the safe-houses.
"And he just snapped?" Diamond asked, shocked.
"Yep," Pony nodded, smiling, "Just got between 'em and let 'em have it."
"What did he say?"
"Mostly that he was sick of their bickering-"
"We all were." Missile cut in, "He was just the first one to say it."
Pony continued, "And that weren't they supposed to be friends and why couldn't they let the past be the past and stuff like that."
"Kobra really took it to heart, too." Missile said.
"Oh, definitely," Pony nodded, "He's been really-I guess the best word to use here is protective-of Party since you guys got back. Kind of like how Ghoul is about you." He smiled.
Diamond rolled her eyes, though she too was smiling.
"Oh, you think he's kidding?" Missile laughed, "I don't think he's left this room in two weeks. It's a miracle we got him out tonight."
"Seriously?"
"Totally." All three Killjoys were now somber, "He was really scared. We all were."
"He's a self-destructive person." Missile explained, "When something bad happens, he blames himself. He takes all the punishment, all the pain. If you hadn't woken up, I don't want to even think about what he would have done."
Sometimes it amazed Diamond how intuitive the little girl was. She felt a pang of pity in her stomach for Ghoul. She realized how much it would have killed him; to lose a family member just as he'd found one.
"But enough about that." Pony said, wanting a subject change. He smiled wide, "What are we going to do about your hair?"
Party faced Ghoul from across the table anxiously.
"You'll have to face her eventually." Kobra said gently from his seat next to Party in the booth.
"Dr. D is nearly done." Jet said from the corner, opening himself a can of Power Pup, "He'll assess her condition. From what I've seen, she'll probably be up and about in a few days."
Party fidgeted, "I just feel...so shitty. About what I made her go through..."
"It's called guilt," Ghoul snapped.
Party felt Kobra tense up next to him in irritation. He silently willed his brother to keep a cool head. After being kicked out of Diamond's room, he'd been on-edge, anxious to get back to her.
Kobra didn't think that was a very good excuse. Ghoul knew how Party felt about what he'd done, that even though his guilt was irrational and he hadn't willingly done anyone harm, and it was still guilt and needed to be resolved.
"W-Well I know that I just-" Party tried to speak, his eyes fixed on the table.
"Just what?" Ghoul spat, "Just felt bad about what you put an innocent nineteen-year-old girl through?"
"W-Well yeah..." Party stammered. His head shot up and there was a spark in his eyes, "I do! I shouldn't have let them use me like that! And now I've gone and hurt my friends and family and put people I don't even know in danger! And you expect me to be okay with that? Because I'm not!" Party slid out of the booth in one movement and stood, "I know what I did was wrong and I'm fucking sorry!"
