Schlatt dominated the game. Phil sat in disbelief, staring at the cards Schlatt had set down and then back at the cards in his own hands. Techno and Wilbur snickered quietly, a look of amusement clear on their faces even though they had unquestionably lost. Tommy beamed at his businessman friend, asking for tips that Schlatt willingly gave. Phil shook his head with a smile growing on his face. He held out his hand, "Good game." Schlatt raised his eyebrows, then smirked, shaking the other's hand, "Good game." They decided to end the games for the night to mend Phil's pride.

"So," Phil began, taking a deep breath, "What did you think when you first found Tommy in the woods? Tommy told us the basics, but not any details. We don't even know what the place looks like or where it is." Tommy squirmed in his seat, staring at one spot at the table. Jschlatt noticed and looked at him with concern. Tommy tried to make eye contact with Philza, slightly shaking his head no. He looked betrayed. Phil didn't seem to notice, or the man was just ignoring it. Schlatt glanced at Tommy one last time before he turned his attention back to the others. "Well," the man began. He wanted to be cautious at first to make sure he didn't reveal anything Tommy hadn't told them. "I was surprised when Tommy just popped out from behind the tree to introduce himself. I think he was trying to be formal with the handshake, but it was pretty unexpected." He got a couple of chuckles from Phil and Wilbur. Schlatt continued, a little more casually, "The cast on his arm was so flimsy, I don't know how he was able to set it by himself," he chuckled to himself. The businessman looked up to see the confused, guilty, and startled faces of Phil, Wilbur, and Techno. Whoops, Jschlatt thought, that must've been something that he didn't tell them. Tommy jolted up in his chair, "Excuse me." The boy rushed out of the dining room, leaving the group sitting tensely. There was a shadow over Techno's face. Wilbur was close to tears, covering his mouth. Phil closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a sigh. He looked at the man, "I'm sorry, Schlatt. It's not your fault." Phil continued with a deep breath, "Tommy had asked me not to push for any answers or ask you anything about... what we caused. I just-" Phil paused. He pinched his nose again, shutting his eyes tightly. His voice shuddered in a defeated way, "I don't know."

Jschlatt smiled sympathetically but said nothing. Wilbur and Techno got up to go speak with Tommy, leaving the two men together. There was a long stretch of silence. Phil let out another sigh before turning his face to a sad smile, "I'll show you the guest bedrooms, and you can pick whatever one you want," he said, leading Jschlatt up the stairs and down the hall. They passed by a closed door with a sign on it that said, "Tommy's Room." Muffled voices came through the door, but they didn't focus too much on it. Schlatt picked the first room Phil showed him since it was closest to the stairs (in case of an emergency), and he didn't want to bother the man too much. Phil left him to unpack his briefcase, walking back downstairs to the living room.

~~~~~

Techno and Wilbur shook off of their guilt and shock, following Tommy up the stairs. Techno was the first knocking on the youngest boy's door. The door opened, and Techno instantly held Tommy in a hug, patting Tommy's back consolingly. Tommy stood in shock (and fear of being smothered) before he hugged back. Wilbur arrived to see the two and joined in on the hug. "We shouldn't have rushed you, Toms. I'm sorry," Wil apologized, leaving the hug to look at Tommy. The young boy smiled, "It's okay, it's not your fault." Techno opened his mouth to say something but closed it, thinking about his words more carefully. Tommy looked to him thoughtfully.

"Don't blame Phil, either. We've just all been curious about what happened, so he jumped ahead," Tommy nodded earnestly at Techno's word, grasping the advice in his mind. Techno smiled lightly at that, "Good. I'm proud of you, Tommy."

Tommy looked at the two seriously, "Actually- erm," the boy looked down at his feet, "I think- I think I'm okay telling you some things. That way, you could tell Phil, so I don't have to." He let the two in his room, all of them heading over to the bed. They sat and leaned against the wall, Tommy in the middle of them. Tommy began his story of what had happened, making sure to describe the things he saw, heard, touched, tasted, and smelled. His brothers listened carefully, Wilbur occasionally wiping a tear from his eyes. Techno squeezed Tommy's hand every time the boy said something that cut at the older's heart. Tommy finished his story, waiting for them to ask questions. They didn't ask anything, still processing what they had heard.

"I'm glad you told us, Tommy," Wilbur said carefully, pulling Tommy into another hug. Tears pricked at Wil's eyes as everything Tommy had told them hit him. It was Techno's turn to join the hug, and they all stayed that way for a while.

~~~~~

Phil sunk down on the couch, closing his eyes. Tommy's betrayed face from on the cliff found a way into his head, and he immediately opened his eyes, terrified with himself. Philza's head ached, and the man wanted to rest his eyes. Phil knew he'd be tormented by his guilt no matter what he did. If he slept, he was affected; if he stayed awake, there would be the same outcome. Phil got up from the couch and went to a bookshelf, grabbing the longest book his eyes could find and opening it up to the first page. He sat down on a hard chair, his eyes scanning the book, reading on auto-pilot as his thoughts wandered until he finally fell asleep.

~~~~~

Techno woke up leaning against Tommy. Wilbur was holding Tommy in a hug; they were both leaning against the wall in a peaceful sleep. Techno carefully got up from the bed, leaving to go back downstairs. He found Phil with his head hanging over a dictionary, slumped down in a chair in the dining room.

"Are you enjoying that dictionary, Phil?" Philza straightened up. His reaction was delayed as he turned his head to look at Techno. He blinked tiredly, still trying to understand the question. When he finally got it, he looked down at the book. "Oh," he said quietly. Techno looked at the man, "I think you should get some sleep," he suggested. He started to turn away but came back, "And Tommy wanted you to know he doesn't blame you for anything. I think if you talk to him now, he'll be more willing to share some things with you." Philza looked at the pink-haired boy gratefully, "Thank you." Techno nodded his head, moving back to his room.