Cub's pov:

I have been visiting my brother in the hospital for about two weeks now. They say he should be waking up soon as his injuries have healed enough that he doesn't need to be in a coma; he just needs to be careful. I had moved into his place so I could take care of Jelly and make sure everything was okay with his recovery when he gets out. Today was a Friday of week three. I am so worried. My head keeps telling me he will never wake up, so here I am holding his hand, crying quietly.

The doctors come and go, offering words of encouragement, but it's hard to hold onto hope when each day passes without any change. The hospital room feels like a second home now, filled with the rhythmic beeps of machines and the antiseptic smell that clings to my clothes. I often sit by his side, talking to him about mundane things, hoping my voice might reach him somehow.

Jelly misses him too. Every time I go back to his place, she looks at me with those big, sad eyes, wondering why her best friend isn't coming home. I try to keep everything as normal as possible, feeding her, playing with her, but there's a palpable absence that neither of us can ignore.

Nights are the hardest. When everything is still, and the weight of the situation settles heavily on my shoulders, I find myself questioning everything. What if he never wakes up? What if I've missed something important, some sign of improvement? The what-ifs are endless and exhausting.

As I sit here now, holding his hand, I can only hope and pray that he feels my presence. That somehow, my touch and my tears will reach through the fog of unconsciousness and bring him back to me. All I can do is wait and hope, even as the fear gnaws at my heart.

I am just tracing little shapes over his hand when his hand twitches and he stirs. I panicked a bit and took his hand gently as he started to wake up. My heart raced as I leaned in closer, watching his eyelids flutter. It felt like a fragile moment, and I didn't want to do anything that might scare him back into the darkness.

"Hey, it's okay Scar. I'm here," I whispered softly, my voice trembling with a mix of hope and anxiety. His eyes slowly opened, unfocused at first, but then they began to settle on my face. Relief washed over me, and I couldn't hold back the tears that spilled down my cheeks.

He tried to speak, but his voice was weak and raspy. "W-what happened?" he managed to ask.

"You had an accident," I said, squeezing his hand gently. "But you're going to be okay. Just take it easy."

As he began to come to grips with his surroundings, I could see the confusion and fear in his eyes. I knew this was just the beginning of a long road to recovery. I could tell his heart rate was picking up a little bit as the memories flooded into him.

"How... how am I alive? I remember... flying into a building..." he asked, confused. He tried sitting up but winced as he aggravated his injuries from the lack of movement. I quickly helped him sit up, adjusting the bed to a slight incline.

"You got saved, Scar. It's all over the news—a red blur saved you. No one really knows who it is; no one got a good look at them," I said honestly. He seemed really tired and out of it, his eyes struggling to stay open. He ended up putting a hand on his chest where the injuries were.

"They... they stopped the bleeding..." he mumbled, his voice trailing off as he tried to comprehend everything.

"Yeah, they did. You're safe now," I reassured him, squeezing his hand. "Just focus on getting better. You've been through a lot, but you're still here. That's what matters."

He nodded slightly, his eyes closing again as exhaustion overtook him. "Thank you," he whispered, and I knew he wasn't just thanking me for helping him sit up. He was grateful for everything—for being there, for taking care of Jelly, for not giving up on him.

As he drifted back to sleep, I felt a sense of relief. I went to get the doctors and update them on him waking up but being very confused. They said that it was normal for patients to be disoriented when they started waking up. This honestly gave me so much hope.

I went back to his room and noticed he didn't stay asleep for long. As I walked into the room, he mumbled something that genuinely caught me off guard. "There was an angel... wasn't there?" he mumbled, looking genuinely a bit more awake than before. I guess I had been with the doctors a lot longer than I had expected because it had been two hours since he had woken up the first time.

"Yeah... a friend of mine saved you," I said.

He was very curious now but seemed more concerned about my friend. "The angel didn't get hurt, did he?"

I couldn't help but chuckle at that and wipe my misty eyes as I walked over to him. "No, he didn't."

He gave a small nod, a faint smile forming on his lips. "Good.." he genuinely seemed relieved to hear that the angel didn't get hurt.

"Just focus on getting better," I replied softly.

As I sat by his side, holding his hand, I felt a wave of gratitude. He was awake, he was aware. "Can we watch the news?" he asked quietly. Honestly, I didn't know if he wanted to see that.

"I-I don't know, I don't think we should. Your fight has been all over the news for the past few weeks," I said hesitantly.

My mention of weeks made him look at me, very confused. "H-how long was I asleep?" he asked worriedly.

"Today is the end of the third week that you've been asleep, so three weeks," I replied gently.

He processed this, a mix of shock and disbelief crossing his face. "Three weeks... Wow."

I nodded, squeezing his hand. "Yeah, but you're here now. That's what matters. You've got a lot of people rooting for you."

He took a deep breath, then nodded. "Okay, maybe not the news. Just... tell me what happened."

I sat back, carefully choosing my words as I continued, mindful of Scar's condition and emotions. "From what my friend told me, you were fighting a losing battle from the beginning. That monster you heroes were up against was called a Wrath." I paused, gauging Scar's reaction before proceeding. His expression was serious, indicating he was processing the information.

"Your arrows, they did hit the core, but it only seemed to anger it more. You ended up on top of a crane. It broke under its weight, slashing you in the process and flinging you into a building," I explained, keeping my tone steady.

I gently squeezed Scar's hand, and he responded with a reassuring squeeze, silently encouraging me to continue. Taking a shaky breath, I proceeded, "My friend knew how to destroy the Wrath. It took a lot of his energy, but he did it. He defeated it and found you. He activated your emergency beacon on your utility belt and used a highly absorbent sponging moss to stabilize your injuries. He stayed with you until he heard people approaching, then left quietly to avoid recognition. He didn't want the attention."

Scar listened intently, absorbing the details of what happened during the battle and his rescue. His eyes reflected gratitude and perhaps a touch of awe at the selflessness of his rescuer.

"Thank you for telling me," Scar finally spoke, his voice soft but filled with appreciation. "I owe him a lot."

"You're welcome," I replied gently, giving his hand another reassuring squeeze. "You do, but for now, you just need to focus on getting better," I said softly.

He nodded, his eyes glistening with emotion. "I will. And when I'm back on my feet, I'll find a way to thank him," he said honestly. Then he seemed to realize something, looking very confused as his heart rate picked up. "There was purple... purple... powerful purple and red... It was repairing the city. Is everyone okay?"

I was shocked; I thought he had passed out by that time, so he didn't see the city being rebuilt. "Everyone's okay. That was my friend—the same friend that saved you—rebuilding the city from the destruction."

He looked at me in awe. "Your friend must be really strong..."

"Yeah, he is," I replied, feeling a mixture of pride and gratitude. "He's got abilities beyond what most people can imagine, but he's also incredibly humble. He doesn't seek out recognition or praise. He just wants to help."

Scar nodded thoughtfully. "I'm glad he was there," he murmured.

"You just focus on getting better," I reiterated, giving his hand another reassuring squeeze. "That's the best way you can thank him right now."

He smiled faintly. "Maybe," I said with a smile. "But for now, how about I put on a movie so we can watch something at least? The doctors will be making the rounds soon to check on everyone," I said honestly.

He nodded very tiredly, his head rolling slightly in a way that made me chuckle. I had brought some movies and stuff over from his place, and I knew exactly which one to put on: Star Wars. The first one.

I set up the movie, glancing over to see him watching me with a hint of amusement. "You always knew how to pick the right movie," he mumbled.

"Of course," I replied with a smile, pressing play. The familiar opening crawl began, and I settled back into the chair next to his bed.

As the movie played, I could see him relaxing, his eyes growing heavy again. It was comforting to know that even in this small way, I could help him find a bit of peace. The beeps of the hospital machines faded into the background as we both got lost in the adventure on the screen.

Before long, Scar was asleep again, a faint smile on his lips. The doctors made their rounds before telling me visiting hours were over. I was a bit reluctant to leave him, but I knew I had to. I told the hospital to inform me immediately if there were any changes in his condition, especially if he got worse. They assured me they would but doubted he would actually deteriorate.

I made my way back to his apartment to make sure Jelly was fed and everything was in order. As I opened the door, Jelly bounded up to me, her tail wagging for a moment before she stopped, looking past me, clearly expecting Scar to come in. Her eyes were filled with a mix of confusion and sadness.

"Hey, girl," I said softly, kneeling down to pet her. "I know you miss him. He'll be back soon, I promise."

I fed her and gave her fresh water, trying to maintain some sense of normalcy. She ate reluctantly, glancing at the door every few moments. After she finished, I sat down on the couch, and she jumped up beside me, resting her head on my lap. I stroked her fur gently, feeling the weight of the day settle in.

"It's just you and me for now," I murmured to Jelly. "But we'll take good care of him when he comes home."

As I sat there with Jelly, the quiet of the apartment was a stark contrast to the bustling hospital. It was hard not to think about Scar lying in that bed, but knowing he was on the mend gave me a sliver of peace.

It was another three weeks of him being awake and coherent before they decided to let him go home. Of course, he was mildly wheelchair-bound by this point to avoid aggravating his abdomen too much. He didn't look happy about it, which made me chuckle.

"You know they're going to put you on computer work, right? Or paperwork until your injuries are fully healed," I teased with an amused smile.

He gave me a glare. "I sure as hell hope they don't," he grumbled, sounding genuinely bored of sitting around.

"Oh, come on, you get to cuddle with Jelly," I said playfully, leaning close to his ear from behind the wheelchair as I pushed him out. "Maybe I'll talk to my friend about coming to visit you at work."

He turned to look at me, his expression a mix of curiosity and skepticism. "Your friend? The one who saved me and rebuilt the city?"

I nodded with a mischievous grin. "Yeah, he owes you a visit. Maybe he can spice up your desk job a bit."

Scar chuckled despite himself. "Alright, fine. But only if he promises not to cause any trouble."

"I'll make sure to warn him," I replied with a wink.

As we made our way out of the hospital, I couldn't help but feel a sense of relief and joy. Scar was going home, albeit with prescriptions to pick up on the way—something for the pain and antibiotics.

"I didn't know Mumbo and my friend knew each other, by the way," I said to him as we waited for the prescriptions.

"He does?" Scar asked, genuinely shocked.

"Yeah, I mean, I only met him because he works at my cafe with me, but it was clear they've known each other for a while. You should have seen them when they met up again. He tackled Mumbo to the ground and cried a lot..."

Scar chuckled, shaking his head slightly. "I never would've guessed they had that kind of history."

"Me neither," I admitted, smiling at the memory. "But it was touching to see how much they care about each other."

As we collected the prescriptions and headed towards the car, Scar insisted on trying to get in himself despite my offer to help. He swatted my hands away, determined to prove he could manage. I watched with a mix of concern and amusement as he carefully maneuvered into the car, wincing slightly as he aggravated his abdomen.

Once he was settled inside, he gave me a satisfied nod, clearly proud of his accomplishment. I smiled and loaded the wheelchair and our overnight bags into the trunk, along with the movies I made sure to grab before taking the driver's seat.

"Ready to go home?" I asked as I started the car.

"Yeah, definitely," Scar replied, settling back into the seat with a sigh of relief.

As we drove away from the hospital, I couldn't help but admire Scar's determination. I'm glad we didn't lose him the world would have been a lot darker for me at least. I told my brother that I had to stop by the cafe for a second to grab something I had forgotten at work and to check my schedule he said that was fine so I pulled in and I parked before running in real quick.

"grian!" I called out running into the back where I knew he would be. As he was always in the back making drinks he never liked being the center of attention. " Ye-" I ran over and hugged him tightly which made him let out a squawk of confusion he was making sure not to spill the drink he was making " thank you thank you thank you he's alive he's awake he's heading home today" grian was confused a bit but happy for me.

I quickly checked my schedule before grabbing my forgotten wallet and rushing back to the car. "Okay, thanks for waiting," I said as I hopped into the driver's seat.

We started driving back home, and as soon as we walked in the door, Jelly, Scar's cat, greeted us with loud meows and enthusiastic cuddles. She seemed overjoyed to have him back home, rubbing against his legs and purring loudly.

Scar smiled warmly, reaching down to pet Jelly affectionately. "Hey, girl, missed you too," he murmured, his voice filled with genuine happiness. I chuckled softly and added, "She missed you way too much. Every time I came home without you, she just kept staring at the door and wouldn't leave it. Luckily, she was eating and drinking, though."

Scar nodded, his smile widening as he continued to stroke Jelly's fur. "She's a resilient little one, isn't she? Always knows how to keep me company."

""Yeah, she's been a good companion while you were away," I replied, feeling a sense of warmth seeing them reunited. Jelly purred contentedly under Scar's touch, clearly relieved to have him back home.

"I might have to take her into work tomorrow so she doesn't get some separation anxiety and she knows I'm fine," Scar said honestly, his gaze fond as he looked down at Jelly.

I nodded understandingly. "That's a good idea. She'll be reassured knowing you're nearby."

Scar chuckled softly. "She's my little guardian, after all."

As I started preparing spaghetti for dinner, Scar wheeled himself into the kitchen, Jelly curled up contentedly in his lap. He seemed curious about Mumbo's recent project activation.

"You should talk to Mumbo when you get back to work. He finally activated that old project he was working on with his friend," I said, stirring the sauce.

Scar looked surprised. "Wait, he actually activated Grumbot? He's been mulling it over for years. Why activate it now?"

"Well, the other engineer, my friend, and him reunited, so they were able to turn it on together, like it should have been years ago," I explained, glancing over at Scar. Jelly nudged his hand gently with her head, and he absentmindedly continued to stroke her fur.

"Sounds like quite the reunion," Scar commented with a smile. "I'll have to catch up with Mumbo about it. It's about time Grumbot saw the light of day."

I nodded thoughtfully as I stirred the pasta, ensuring it cooked evenly. "If I'm being honest, I think he didn't want to activate it just in case there was a message or something. I genuinely think he fell in love with the other engineer," I admitted, glancing over at Scar.

Scar raised an eyebrow with amusement. "Am I ever going to learn the name of your friend?" he asked, a playful grin on his face.

"Maybe if you catch up with Mumbo tomorrow, he might be there already. He's been splitting his time between working at the cafe and helping Mumbo," I explained, keeping an eye on the boiling pasta.

"Isn't that a safety issue? Like for the Heroes Association?" Scar asked, his concern evident as he absentmindedly petted Jelly.

"Apparently not. Xisuma said it was fine," I reassured him, recalling the discussions I'd had with Mumbo about the project and its implications.

Scar nodded thoughtfully, his expression contemplative. "Well, I guess if Xisuma gave it the green light, it must be okay," he mumbled, clearly still processing the information.

Once dinner was ready, I carefully plated everything and brought it over to the table, ensuring Jelly had her own food nearby. She was reluctant to leave Scar's lap, so I moved her dish to a spot where she could keep an eye on him. Throughout the meal, she sat facing us, occasionally glancing up at Scar to make sure he was still there. It was evident she had missed him deeply.

Scar smiled fondly at Jelly, reaching down to stroke her gently. "You're such a loyal one, aren't you?" he murmured, his voice filled with affection.

Jelly responded with a soft purr, leaning into his touch. The bond between them was palpable, a testament to the comfort and companionship pets can provide during difficult times.

As we ate, conversation flowed naturally between us, interspersed with moments of comfortable silence. It felt good to be together, enjoying a peaceful evening at home after the tumultuous events of recent weeks. Scar seemed more relaxed now that he was back in familiar surroundings.

After dinner, we prepared for bed and settled into a comfortable silence. I made sure Scar was settled in his room with Jelly by his side before heading to my own room. Knowing he was safe and back home brought a sense of peace, and sleep came easily to me that night.