TW: Panic attacks & Anxiety

The next day rolled around with such anxiety filling Garte, Zack, and Derek, enough that each could hardly wait to just get the process over with.

Garte had spent the night deathly terrified of what was to become of his son. He found himself fighting to not stare at Garroth during supper, analyzing his every movement. Though he tried to remain stoic, the only image running through his head was of the little boy who once did not have the strength to open his eyes long enough to say hello to the brothers he so adored.

Derek paced his office that night, running through every scenario in his mind. This entire conspiracy, even if it saved his best friend's son, would not end well. He had no evidence, not a shred of data to back this up. But he knew, deep down. There would be long and difficult consequences.

Zack spent the night at the lab. He contacted Elizabeth immediately following reading the test results. He sat alone in the darkness for a while, until she came and they were able to work together. No surprise, they ended up becoming intimate with each other. To both of them, this event felt over before it even began.

Bright and early the next morning, Garte pulled up to the testing place at the same time as Derek. To Garte's complete surprise, Derek ended up bringing his son with him.

"Hi, Aaron," Garte said gently. "You joining your dad today?"

Aaron, shy and sheltered, nodded as he stepped back. Derek put a hand on his son's back and led him inside. Garte did the same, with Garroth keeping a tight grip on his own father's hand.

Zack greeted the four of them with a smile, and was equally as surprised as Garte to see that Derek had brought Aaron along with him. Not only was Derek hard on his son, but he sheltered him heavily.

At least, to Garte and Zack it appeared as sheltering. What they knew so little of was the isolation Derek was putting his son through.

"Hey, buddy," Zack knelt down to say hi to Garroth. "We're gonna do something a bit different today. You want to follow me to a different room?"

Zack took Garroth's hand gently as Elizabeth turned the corner. Derek signaled for Aaron to go off on his own, away from where the three parents were talking. Elizabeth starting talking to Garte about the testing that was about to be done on Garroth and what he could expect from that point on.

With Garte turned away from the scene, Derek stood to the side. He was hardly listening to the conversation next to him, and was appearing to watch as Zack led Garroth into the room. Apart from Zack, Derek was the only one beginning to see everything unfold.

Right as Zack and Garroth approached the doorway, Garroth's hand dropped from Zack's. Though Derek could not see Garroth's face, he could see the little one's hands begin to shake. His shoulders tensed and he was shaking his head.

"Come on, buddy," Zack tried to coax Garroth into the room. "You have nothing to be afraid of."

Garroth was not responding with words, but with body language. He hugged his arms around himself as he began to breathe heavily. His breaths were treacherous, as though he was fighting to take air in and let it out.

Even if he was able to speak at that moment, no words would be able to describe what he was feeling. It was as though a mysterious switch turned on in his brain. He couldn't remember why, or how, but something in his instincts reminded him that the specific room he was about to be led into was to be signaled dangerous.

Zack attempted to grab Garroth's hand again, having little patience for him. His efforts were in vain, though, as Garroth pulled away from Zack's hand. The little one turned around slowly. As Derek stepped forward to intervene, Garroth ran to him with tears running down his face. Derek picked up and held Garroth gently, trying to gauge what exactly was happening.

"Garroth," Derek began as Garte finally turned around to see what was happening. "What's the matter, bud?"

To Derek, Garroth reminded him so much of his father in that moment. Those panicking eyes and labored breathing were something he had seen in Garte more times than he would have liked.

Garte's eyes went wide as Garroth reached for him. He swiftly took Garroth, whose breath was still fast and struggled. He still had uncontrollable tears flowing down his face.

"What's wrong, little man?" Garte spoke with a gentleness that hadn't been heard since Garroth was sick.

When Garroth couldn't speak and just buried his head into his father's shoulder, Garte spoke again, "Deep breaths, buddy. I've got you. I'm right here."

Derek shot an accusing glare to both Zack and Elizabeth, though he knew deep down that neither of them were at fault. Garte knew this, too, but couldn't help but feel some anger directed towards someone. His son was having what appeared to be a panic attack. It was easiest to blame someone else.

"Garroth, I promise you that you have nothing to be scared of," Zack said, trying his best to comfort Garroth in the best way he knew how. His efforts, however, were in vain.

Garte, holding Garroth tightly in his arms, walked away from everyone in order to calm his four year old down. As he sat down on a couch outside the testing rooms, Derek glared at Zack.

"What did you do?" Derek grumbled at Zack, though it was someone directed at Elizabeth, too.

"I don't know!" Zack exclaimed.

Zack sounded like a teenage boy with his inflection. He had always sounded that way - defensive and argumentative. It was like Zack was on high alert all the time, and ready to cover for anyone who he felt needed such. This feature made him a good and reliable friend, but also sneaky and calculated.

"I think it just happened," Elizabeth said. For once, she was gentle, too. "Given who his father is, I wouldn't be surprised if there was some clinical anxiety there."

"In a preschooler? That badly?" Derek questioned.

Zack chimed in, "It's not as common, but it's known to happen. I figured the potion might have helped with that, but maybe it didn't cover everything."

"Of course it didn't cover everything, dipshit. Aren't we back where we started because of your handiwork?" Derek retorted.

Zack was silenced by this response. Derek was right - the miracle potion hadn't performed miracles. It was flawed, just as any man made invention was. Except, it shouldn't have been flawed. Michael was no human.

Derek shook his head as the room fell silent. He glanced at Aaron, who appeared fine to him, and then looked around the area. He studied what could have triggered that response from Garroth.

He quickly realized that Garroth was completely fine up until he reached the doorway. He was even willing to go in until they were beginning to enter that room. The Ultima quickly analyzed the room behind the still open door. He stepped forward and glanced in, and everything seemed all too familiar.

Those monitors.

That table.

The straps.

Derek felt his heart drop. He turned to face Elizabeth and Zack again, the duo who were completely oblivious as to why Derek appeared so stunned and shocked. He met both of their eyes not with anger, but with sadness and confusion.

"I thought you said his memory was erased," He mumbled quietly so Garte and Garroth wouldn't hear him.

Elizabeth realized quicker than Zack did. Normally stoic, she placed her fingertips gently over her mouth. She tried to remain composed, though it was difficult given how stunned she was. Once Zack put together what was happening, he tightly pressed his lips together.

As the three stood astounded for a moment, Garte's efforts to calm his son were working, but slowly. He had been in Garroth's position before, so he was the best to be with him at that moment. However, he had to remind himself that his patience had to be at its highest. Garroth, still being so young, did not have the strategies to ground himself yet.

"That's it, little man. You're safe. You know that, right?" Garte questioned as Garroth became calm enough to respond.

"Can you tell me what happened?" Garte said after a moment. "Did Zack say something to you?"

Garroth rubbed his eye and shook his head. His cheeks were blotchy red. His breathing was still labored, though not as fast.

Garte held his son gently as he sat on his lap, but closely. He was not going to let Garroth be separated from him in that moment. Given the fact that the day previously Zack had taken his blood without telling anyone, Garte was hesitant to give Garroth over to him immediately.

"You doing better, buddy?" Derek asked as he walked over to Garte and Garroth. Both Zack and Elizabeth were behind him.

"We're getting there, huh?" Garte responded for Garroth, who was still not ready to engage in conversation just yet.

Derek smiled and knelt down in front of Garroth. Garte could feel Garroth relax when seeing a familiar face trying to be of comfort to him.

Elizabeth sighed, "Garroth, you know big boys don't throw tantrums when they're scared."

Garte's stomach dropped at this comment. How could she say such a thing, to a child so young? His grip on Garroth tightened slightly. He shot a look up to Elizabeth. Derek, however, shot a glare.

Derek shook his head, refusing to acknowledge the comment and whispered quietly, "Garte, that was the room."

Garte gave Derek an incredibly perplexed look at first. He hadn't even looked inside to know what Derek was talking about. When the Ultima lifted his eyebrows, Garte quickly realized. He drew in a sharp and shaky breath.

He looked down at his four year old son who was still sitting on his lap. Though he pieced together what Derek was talking about, what he couldn't piece together was how Garroth remembered. Michael ensured - no, promised - that his memory would be erased.

"Well, my goodness, what do we have going on here?" A voice boomed from across the room.

There stood Michael, strong and tall. Menacing and corrupt. But, all of that was hidden under a calming smile and what appeared to be thoughtful eyes. He made his way over to the group.

Shit, Zack thought. He's not supposed to be here. He's not supposed to know anything.

Zack and Elizabeth shot anxious glances at each other. They knew they were both thinking the same thing. They also both knew that they were going to be severely disciplined for this.

Derek stood up and stepped to the side. Michael knelt down to where Derek was, not even acknowledging Garte. He was eye level with Garroth, who was starting to bury his face back into his father's shoulder.

"Do you remember me, Garroth?" Michael spoke uncharacteristically gently. "We don't see each other often, do we?"

Garroth hesitated but nodded in response. While Zack, Elizabeth, and Derek exchanged confused and suspicious glances, Michael smiled at the child.

"Well, you know how your dad is the boss at his work?" Garroth nodded again in response. "I'm kind of like that when we're here. I get to make sure all things happen the way I want them to."

All the adults in the room shifted. There was an edge of malice in his voice. Though little Garroth would not be able to catch onto it, everyone else's breath was held for a moment there.

"Even daddy?" Garroth questioned.

"Even your dad," Michael affirmed and lifted his eyebrows. "See, just for today, we have to give you the medicine just a bit differently. So, I'll cut you a deal. We'll help you get to sleep so you don't feel a thing so long as you're big and brave. Sound good?"

Garroth nodded. His cheeks were still blotchy and red, but he was calmed down by now. Both Derek and Garte's eyes were glued on Garroth, while Zack and Elizabeth's were glued on Michael.

"Good," Michael grinned and nodded. "And since I get to tell your dad what to do, I'll make sure he takes you for ice cream right after you wake up. How's that sound?"

The four year old's eyes lit up as he grinned. He looked up at his father, who smiled lightly down at him. Garte brushed his son's hair back as he looked at him.

"You have to do what Michael says. He's the boss," Garroth mischievously grinned at Garte. Both Garte and Derek chuckled at the child's wit.

"I guess my hands are tied," Garte feigned reluctance to humor his son. "Whatever you want, buddy."

Garroth, still grinning, turned to face Michael. The wizard put out his hand for Garroth to shake it.

"We got a deal?" Michael questioned.

Garroth reached out and shook Michael's hand, "Mmhm!"

Michael and Garte, still holding Garroth, stood up simultaneously. Michael turned and walked over to Elizabeth and Zack with a menacing look in his eye. Out of Garroth's sight, he was no longer smiling.

The doctors shifted their stance as they heard Garte and Derek began quick talk about sales with the potion. Elizabeth's eyes were stuck on the floor, while Zack looked at Michael directly. The demon bit his inner cheek, his eyes jumping back and forth between his two employees.

"We will have a talk about this," Michael said sternly. "A long one."

Elizabeth shook her head as Michael turned back to Garte, Derek, and Garroth. Zack stepped forward to get Garroth ready for not so much testing, but to attempt to save his life a second time.

Garte set Garroth down again. The little one's anxiety was growing again, even with the compromise Michael had given to him. Derek smiled at Garroth, who was trying to shy away again behind Garte's leg.

"Gar, if you get scared, think of all the ice cream you're going to have after this. Remember, since Michael said so, your dad has to take you," Derek winked at him.

Garroth smiled up at his father again, whose own worries were hanging like a cloud above him. After finding out that his son was being tested on the very room he died in, his mind was only going to the worst case scenario no matter how many times he tried to stop it. His heart rate was increasing, watching Garroth stand there and worrying that it might be the last time he would ever see him so healthy.

He also knew that to Garroth, this was just a normal day of testing. The child had no memories of anything that had transpired. At least, that's what it had seemed before today. He was scared to question anyone about it, but he had to know the reasoning of how something in Garroth's brain remembered at all, even if it was just his survival instincts.

Garte feigned a calm smile down at Garroth, "I can't disobey my boss."

He knelt down to Garroth's level, ruffling his hair and giving him a kiss on the forehead before placing a hand on his shoulder.

"I love you, Gar," he said, fearing this time would be like the last.

"I love you, too," Garroth smiled as he responded.

Garte stood up and watched his son be led away again by Zack. Garroth's mind started reacting again, but Garte and Derek watched as he shook it away and still walked in. Both of their fear levels were spiking as they stared at the door after it shut.

Little Aaron could only stare with anger at his father who was so willing to comfort another man's child.