Brooklyn remained on the Henderson Ranch for the next few days during his healing. He stayed in Mark's treehouse so his parents remained unnoticing of his presence.

Mark went back and forth to visit his gargoyle friend, who was still a bit scared from his horrible time with Anthony but began to feel more comfortable with his presence each day.

He even brought Brooklyn some of his books for him to read such as Treasure Island and such. Brooklyn felt happy to be able to pick up a book to read again. The red male wouldn't look up from them for a while.

Mark had tapped on his shoulder while he read Lord of the Rings. Brooklyn jerked a little but relaxed when seeing Mark there, who had the first aid kit again.

"If you're ready, Brooklyn, we need to get those stitches out before I go with my mom to help her do a veterinary appointment," he said.

Brooklyn had forgotten about his stitches thanks to the more friendly company, but this made him nervous, swallowing. "I-I guess..." he said.

Mark smiled. "Ok! Just hold still as best you can, alright?"

Brooklyn nodded, laying back down on the cushions as Mark gently took the bandage off, and using tiny scissors, he began to take out the stitches. Brooklyn kept his eyes shut the whole time as he usually did. Mark though had a question he forgot to ask at their first meeting.

"Brooklyn, I learned gargoyles turned to stone during the day, but you haven't at all. What happened to cause it?" He asked to keep Brooklyn from shaking.

Opening his eyes a peek, Brooklyn answered. "It-it was... him. H-he used a terrible serum on me to take away my stone sleep, just so they could h-hurt me more..." Brooklyn said, with his ears flattened from the trauma of it. He couldn't even say his name.

Mark had frowned. "That's just wrong. No one should take away what makes you what you are," he said.

The red one nodded. "I know. He even claims he has all the money to control me," he whispered, as the last stitch had been taken out, making him flinch. Mark felt sorry for him while using alcohol to clean his wound where the stitches were. "Don't listen to Anthony, Brooklyn. He has no right to treat you that way. But your stitches are out now."

Brooklyn smiled at him again. "Thank you," he said, gently rubbing the area where the stitches once were. Mark then packed up the supplies. "I can bring you some food and water to keep you satisfied while I'm with my mom since normally these types of appointments take most of the day. Just stay out of sight of my little sister," he said. Brooklyn nodded, settling into the pillows to relax until his supplies came.

Later that afternoon before they left, Mark returned to see the sleeping Brooklyn there, looking much more relaxed than before but still sad and troubled on his face. Sighing in sympathy, he sat down the cooler that had sandwiches and such, as well as four bottles of water. Brooklyn stirred awake from his nap, looking up at his friend.

Mark opened up the cooler. "Hey, my mom and I are ready to leave soon, but I got some food to tie you over until we're back since you need all your strength to travel back to your home," he said.

Brooklyn grinned a bit. "Thank you, Mark, for doing all this. But you really didn't."

He shrugged. "I just like to lend help to anyone who needs it. We won't be home until I think after five so just continue to take it easy and not wander out too far. I don't want Anthony or my parents to take you away."

"I promise," Brooklyn said, taking one of the water bottles and getting a drink as Mark left him alone again. He got up from his sleeping spot to peek out the window to watch his young friend leave with his mom in her car.

If there was another thing that Brooklyn missed it was able to watch television. He hadn't seen any programs for a long time. But then, back in his time in Scotland, there had been no such thing as tv, just finding what you had to do to entertain yourself or your friends. And there always was work to be done of some sort in those days. But youngsters would usually play until they were old enough.

He missed his clan and felt like he and his brothers had had to grow up too fast when they had been moved to Manhattan. But he was no longer a young hatchling. He was a young adult now with responsibilities back home. The only one he wished he had but didn't have was a mate waiting for his return.

Brooklyn went away from the window, and he sat down by the cooler. He had a look down at his belly to look at the wound scar that would be there. Would it stay there if his stone sleep was restored? But it was hard saying if his stone sleep would be restored.

He took out some sandwiches, some chips, and a few cookies. He ate them up and finished the one water bottle. He then picked up and read a book.

.....

Up at the house, Mark's little sister, Nora was jealous that her big brother had been getting to spend more and more time at the treehouse. He had been taking food out there a lot more for some reason. Their parents may not have noticed but Nora sure did. She wondered what could be so fun to keep him out there all the time.

Nora was determined to find out what was going on. Her brother's strange behavior had been going on for about a week now.

When her own chores were done in the house, she told her dad she was going to the barn. He said that was fine, but she mustn't mess with Mark's project up there, as that was what Mark had told them that was why he was going up there so much for, that he was creating a secret project.

Nora didn't buy that her brother had a project up there. She never saw him carrying anything there but food. She was going to find out once and for all what was going on out there. She made it to the treehouse and began climbing the ladder.

Inside, Brooklyn had been reading for a while now. He had no idea what time it was, but he was hearing someone climbing the ladder leading up to here. That made him instantly get nervous. He hoped it wasn't one of Mark's parents. He put the book down and he cringed to the far back corner. He covered himself with his wings.

Nora came into the treehouse and stood in there, looking around for anything that was different. There didn't seem to be anything new at first. Then, she saw something in the far corner. There was something that was red, and she didn't remember that being there the last time. There were also two piles of bedding in there.

She went to check out the red thing in the corner. There was a stick in one other different corner, and she poked at the 'thing.'

Brooklyn couldn't stand the poking, but he couldn't help but move his wings to see what was going on.

Nora gasped when she saw the thing was alive.

"Please... don't hurt me..." Brook spoke in a scared voice, seeing the stick in her hand.

"Who... what are you?" Nora backed up at this strange creature.

"I mean you no harm, little girl. My name's Brooklyn. I'm a gargoyle." The red male stated.

"Why are you here in my treehouse?" she demanded.

"Mark brought me here because I was wounded before. He's been helping me recover." Brook explained.

"So are you why he's been coming up here a lot?" Nora asked.

"Yes. Please, don't tell anyone I'm up here. I intend to leave as soon as I'm strong enough to travel. Right now, I'm not." He explained.

Nora finally calmed down enough. "I'm Nora, Mark's sister." She said.

"Mark has mentioned you to me. He says you're curious about everything."

"I am at that. I wanted to know what was going on up here, why he keeps coming up here, like he's hiding something." Nora explained.

When Brooklyn moved his wings away from his body to come closer to her eventually, she saw the brand on his arm. She knew that brand.

"You belong to Anthony's ranch?" she asked.

"No! That man was not nice to me. He hurt me so much, including this!" Brook snapped, scared. He pointed to the gunshot wound scar on his belly. "Please, Nora, I'm begging you, don't tell your parents or anyone else that I'm here. That man cannot know I'm here either."

Nora knew that Anthony was a big meanie. "I... I promise."

Brook relaxed some more. "Good."

The girl put the stick down when she was sure the red creature wasn't going to hurt her. She sat down on the floor but still keeping her distance for the moment.

They both got to talking to get to know each other better. As he talked to her more, it might be better if the two kids knew about him. Sometimes one kid might get caught up in something and the other could help out too.

Nora also shared some of the food in the cooler with Brooklyn. She had some fun ideas about what they could do together when Mark wasn't around.

....

Mark and his mom got home after five as he said they would. He went out to check out to check on Brook first to make sure he was alright.

When he got up there, he found his new friend and little sister up there. They were playing tea party.

"Nora, what are you doing up here?" Mark demanded.

"I was curious about what you were doing out here all week." Nora replied.

"Alright, alright. I was helping Brooklyn here." Mark stated.

"I know." Nora replied.

"You better not tell anyone." Mark warned her.

"I won't."

"She promised she wouldn't tell anyone." Brook stepped in.

"Well, this treehouse is meant to be our private place away from our parents. Don't blow it, Sis." Mark said grumpily.

"I really... really promise. Scout's Honor, big brother." Nora said. Mark nodded. "Good," he said while Brooklyn smiled softly at their sibling bond, reminding him of his own with his brothers, and of Dave and Bobbi. But would he ever see them again if he returned to New York? He didn't know. But at least for the moment he had shelter and food until he was deemed strong enough to start his journey.