Shades of Time

Chapter Fifteen: Aftermath

Searcher was the first Goth to wake up. He groaned, it felt like he had been thrown through a wall again by Ink. He just wanted his headache to go away.

The room was dark, it had to be very late in the night or early in the morning. He pushed the blanket off of him and he sat up, someone had partially undressed him, removing his boots and his coat. He could barely see the outlines of them on a nearby chair.

"Where am I?" He asked himself, before he remembered that when he had fallen asleep, he had not been alone.

"Shades!" He yelled, getting out of the bed. The floor was cold but that didn't matter to him. "Shades! Where are you?!"

His counterpart was missing. He was not here.

Suddenly, hands came out of nowhere, and he panicked as they pushed him back onto the bed.

"It's alright, breathe... if you're looking for Goth, he's on the other side of the bed, if you turn around." A voice said, a familiar voice.

He looked at the other side of the bed, only to see Shades there. He reached out and he touched one of his hands, to reassure himself that this was real.

"He's okay, oh thank the scythe that he's okay." He was calming down.

"Go back to sleep, we can talk once both of you have gotten some rest." The voice said, gently shifting him and tucking him back under the covers.

"Okay." He felt his eyes slowly close as he curled up closer to Shades. "Thanks..." He was half asleep. "Mom..."

He fell asleep. Geno sat back down in the chair next to the bed, continuing to keep watch.

He wasn't losing Goth again.

Searcher mumbled something in his sleep.

Geno reached out and he gently rubbed the skull of the alternate of his son.

"Shhh... all's well." He said.

He calmed down, falling deeper into sleep.

"Mama?" A confused, tired voice asked.

"I'm here Gothy." Geno said, as Shades opened his eyes, seeing the sleep hazy figure of his mama.

"This has to be a dream." Shades whispered.

"Why's that?" Geno asked, Shades felt himself falling back into sleep, cuddling closer to his counterpart.

"Because Fate never allowed it in the past, had to.. do... duty.. zzzzz," Shades mumbled exhausted, and he fell back into asleep, dead to the world.

Geno clenched his hands and he gritted his teeth, of course Fate was involved.

"Fate's a Meep." Searcher said in his sleep, and even in his sleep, he knew not to swear in front of his Mom, or a counterpart of his Mom.

Reaper peered into the door, taking in the sight of an exhausted Geno, their sleeping offspring and an alternate Goth, who was using his Kid as a Teddy bear. "Did they wake up at all?' Reaper asked softly. "A few times, I think that they thought they were dreaming. Reaper... Gothy said Fate was involved." Geno said, Reaper swore softly. Things were starting to make sense, and not in a good way. "I'll get Shiro and Raven to school, and set out breakfast for you all." Reaper said. "Thank you dear, I have a feeling that we will not like what we hear." Geno said, looking stressed.

Reaper peered into the door, taking in the sight of an exhausted Geno, there sleeping offspring and an alternate Goth who was using his Kid as a Teddy bear.