Elisa had come to check on how Brooklyn had been doing one week after she waited out the first moments of his recovery. The clan were glad to see her, because she was like a mother to them, mostly to the Trio. Broadway was just now making Brooklyn's dinner.

She hugged Goliath. "So how's Brooklyn been?" Elisa asked.

Goliath sighed, eyes looking hurt and sad.

"Still lost, Elisa. The only ones he can really trust so far are Hudson and Bronx. He avoids me like the plague because he still keeps seeing Thailog." he murmured, looking to Brooklyn's bedroom.

Elisa frowned, concern for the red gargoyle pulsating inside her. "I want to see him," she said.

Goliath gazed at her. "He may not like your presence, Elisa, just to let you know about that."

Elisa nodded. "I understand, but he's part of my family. I won't leave him alone." She then offered to Broadway to bring Brooklyn his dinner.

Brooklyn was hugging himself and having a nap in his corner. Bronx was also snuggled up next to him to keep Brooklyn comfortable until the door was knocked on. It startled Brooklyn awake, and he gasped shakily, looking at the door to see who wanted to disturb him now.

Elisa showed instead of Angela or Hudson. Brooklyn flinched, cringing away from her presence. She felt her heart flutter in pity for Brooklyn, setting his tray down. Brooklyn cowered from her, hiding in his blanket. Elisa wondered where he found it, but decided not to ask. She sat down near him.

"Hey," she said gently. Brooklyn hugged himself tightly, shutting his eyes.

"Go way," he whimpered, shaking all over. But Elisa didn't leave, moving closer, but not so it scared him away.

"We're really worried for you, Brooklyn. You can't keep not talking to us. You're damaging yourself this way." Elisa said in a concerned tone. But Brooklyn began crying again.

"W-want them to leave me alone... t-to stop tricking me..." he said fitfully. Elisa placed a careful hand on his shoulder. He tensed up again.

"They want to help you, Brooklyn. You need to have faith in your family to help you get well," Elisa replied as softly as possible. But Brooklyn still continued to cry, chest aching from being hurt and lied to multiple times. It was during these times that he wished his moms were still alive to comfort him too.

Then Elisa remembered when Angela sang to Brooklyn that first night, and she sang her own song.

"Smile, though your heart is aching

Smile, even though it's breaking

When there are clouds in the sky

You'll get by if you smile

Through your fears and sorrow

Smile and maybe tomorrow

You'll see the sun come shining through."

Brooklyn kept shaking, hearing the demons in his head again.

"Weak..."

"Hopeless..."

He hunched over, trying to block them out, but they kept echoing the mantra in his head. Brooklyn cried softly at them to go away, until he heard Elisa sing. Peeking his eyes open, he felt her gentle hand on his arm, stroking it in a motherly way. He sniffled quietly, feeling his muscles relaxing just a little bit, somewhat liking the song, the demons hissing in aggravation at this intrusion.

"If you light up your face with gladness

Hide every trace of sadness

Although a tear may be ever so near

That's the time you must keep on trying

Smile, what's the use of crying

You'll find that life is still worthwhile

If you'll just smile..."

The corners of his mouth turned up slightly from her song, tears trailing down his cheeks. An illusion of Elisa wouldn't sing for him, he was certain. This had to be the real one, like Hudson.

Elisa then took up his bowl of soup, handing it to Brooklyn carefully. Trembling a bit, he took the bowl, seeing her smile encouragingly at him. Brooklyn still felt like he couldn't eat without Hudson. But the way Elisa sang to him, perhaps he could try without the elder gargoyle at least this one time.

Elisa watched with bated breath and smiled at seeing Brooklyn actually eating the soup. Bronx woofed, a paw on Brooklyn's lap.

It took him a while, but Brooklyn managed to down at least half of it, and Elisa helped with his medicine too.

After that, Brook's lip trembled, his heart quivered, and he did the most shocking thing: he hugged Elisa tightly, now feeling close to her like a mother more than ever. She hugged him back gently, murmuring soothing words to Brooklyn while he cried. Elisa deep down wished she was still in her gargoyle form to put her own wings around him for more comfort.

Goliath had peeked in when he heard the singing, smiling softly at seeing his Second warming up to Elisa and Elisa comforting him. Perhaps, maybe from this little moment, things could improve with Brooklyn.

....

Elisa had decided to stay at the Eyrie Building for a few days to help Brooklyn, who felt more open around her now, and now hung onto her whenever she came to see him too.

One day, she had decided that another idea to help Brooklyn feel better was to read him small gentle kids' stories like Horton Hears a Who, Peter Rabbit, etc. Hudson and Goliath didn't object, for they knew that could help him open up to the rest of the clan. She borrowed some from Fox and went over to Brooklyn's room with the two books under her arm.

"Hey, Brooklyn, I brought something to entertain you; some of Alex's books, if that is okay," she said, bringing in some starter ones, like The Lorax and Ferdinand. Brooklyn looked at her and the books from his corner, and he nodded shyly, heart still thumping a bit with nerves.

She coaxed him to his bed, pulled out The Lorax, and began to read to him, Brook listening with rapt attention, and looking at the colorful pictures too.

The others peeked in to see her reading to Brooklyn, making them smile at the scene. Bronx lay on the floor at their feet, asleep as Elisa continued reading to Brooklyn and pointing out some of the funny pictures in it.

....

Brooklyn by now was not feeling so frightened as much since Elisa was spending time with him and reading him books. He was now mostly shy around the others more than anything. But he had been enjoying her company.

She was sitting with him one day and reading him the book, Peter Rabbit. He had one arm around hers while Elisa read the book.

After Elisa finished the book and closed it, she turned to Brooklyn, who still had a sad expression, but his eyes looked like they enjoyed the story.

"Brooklyn, Xanatos has gotten a new TV after you uh, broke the last one," she revealed, recalling Goliath's story about Brooklyn's pathological fear episode and knocking down the TV. Brooklyn had flinched when she said it, but she rubbed his arm.

"Nobody blames you for doing that, rather, they prefer the new TV. Would you like to come see it? Nobody will hurt you out there, I promise," she said.

Brooklyn didn't like that idea, but he now saw how long he had been stuck in this room. Perhaps it couldn't hurt... just for a few minutes... he decided. Turning to Elisa he nodded, smiling just a smidgen.

"Okay!" Elisa said cheerfully, as she helped Brooklyn to his feet and guided him out into the living room.

Lexington and Broadway were setting up the TV to watch a movie for their movie night together, when they heard footsteps. Turning, Lex gasped a bit at the sight of his brother there with Elisa, out of his room, and not looking so terrified, just shy, and gazing down at the floor.

Angela was happy to see him too. Goliath, however, kept his distance, not wanting to ruin this moment for Brooklyn to have him be scared and run back to his room. Hudson greeted him by rubbing his shoulder, smiling gently.

"It's good teh see yeh out and about, Lad," he murmured. Brooklyn nodded. "T-thank you," he whispered. Lexington approached.

"Brooklyn, we are just about to choose a movie to watch, if-if you want to join us, we can let you have the first choice," he suggested. Brooklyn flinched a bit from Lexington, but seeing how nice the TV looked, he ended up nodding. Elisa and Hudson helped him over to where Lexington pulled out their box of videotapes they had stored near it.

It mostly contained Disney movies such as Snow White, Bambi, Aladdin, The Lion King, and Hercules, to name a few. Lex stood back and allowed Brooklyn to look over the titles.

Brooklyn found himself drawn to the film, Hercules. He had begun liking that movie before getting kidnapped. Perhaps it would do him good to see a hero film to get his courage back.

He pulled it out, holding it close to him. Lex noted how Brooklyn glanced at the cover. "You want that one?" he asked. Lexington himself preferred the Lion King, but since Brooklyn was recovering, he would allow his brother to choose whatever he wanted. Brooklyn nodded, eyes shifting back and forth.

Lex took the movie gently from Brooklyn and set it up while Elisa and Hudson helped Brooklyn to the couch, sitting him in between them. Broadway sat on the floor with Angela, and Bronx stayed near Brooklyn.

The movie was put in and everybody settled in to watch it.

For a time, things went well, Brooklyn remained fine during most of the film, grateful to be near Elisa and Hudson for it. He had a good chuckle during the angry painter freak-out scene when Hercules threw the shield at the pot he was painting on, ruining his hard work.

"Gee, that guy needs to chill!" Lex stated, laughing too, feeling happy that Brooklyn actually laughed. Broadway chuckled from Lex's statement.

But then one scene in particular set Brooklyn off the deep end. The scene between Hades and Meg close to the final battle. Brooklyn was keeping a tight hold on Hudson's hand, shaking a little. Then Hades gets angry, flaming up, and shouted at Meg: "I OWN YOU!"

Brook gasped in fear, pulling back into the couch, his heart thumping like mad, as terrible visions hit him hard like a brick, sweating, as an image of Thailog appears, red eyes shining sinisterly, reaching out with his hand to caress his cheek.

"Always remember, Plaything... I own you, no matter where you are... You can't ever free yourself from me!" he leered. Brook wailed fearfully, struggling in Elisa and Hudson's grasps, trying to settle him down.

"Brooklyn, don't struggle, please calm down!" Elisa said in an urgent voice. But it wasn't helping when suddenly he managed to yank himself away.

Lex tried going after him. "It's just a movie!" he pleaded, but that didn't help either. Brooklyn was crying as he fell to the floor, running away again. He nearly bumped into Goliath.

"Brooklyn...!" Goliath said, but the red one shook his head, staring at the image of Thailog replacing his leader in fear, sobbing. Then he ran out to the balcony.

He leaned over the edge, threatening to puke, still hearing Thailog mocking him. The rest of the clan were calling to him to come back in.

"NO! JUST STAY AWAY FROM ME!" he screeched, raising his wings, leaping onto the edge of the balcony. Lex gasped. Brooklyn's wings weren't fully better, and he could twist them or injure them.

"BROOKLYN, DON'T!" he shouted, but too late. Brooklyn took off into the air.

Hudson and Lexington went after the red gargoyle. They couldn't let him hurt himself or others.

This was the first time in a long time that Brooklyn was feeling the actual wind in his face and under his wings. It felt good, but his wings were weaker from not having been used in so long. He didn't get too far from the Eyrie Building before his wings started hurting.

Brooklyn whimpered and he saw the building where Goliath and Elisa first met away from the castle. He went down to land on the building as the cramping in his right wing got worse, leaning against a pole, crying. Why did his life have to keep feeling like this? How could he get past these fearful feelings?

Then, Lex and Hudson landed behind him.

"Brooklyn, are ye alright, lad?" Hudson came up to him first, putting a hand on his left shoulder.

Brooklyn turned his head away in shame.

"We just want to help ya, bro. Your wings aren't strong enough for gliding long distances." Lex said, coming up to him cautiously. "What happened back there?" he asked gently.

Brook sobbed. "I'm s-sorry. It just scared me when Hades yelled at Meg, saying he owned her." he admitted.

"Did Thailog say something like that to ya?" Hudson asked.

"Yes." Brooklyn replied sadly. Hudson felt furious at this, pulling Brooklyn into a comforting hug.

"He had no right to say that to you. He doesn't own you, Brook. We will make sure he pays one of these days for what he has done to you. We promise." Lex declared.

"I think he's still going to- come back for me." Brook confessed.

"We'll make sure he doesn't get you back. He'll have to go through us first." Lex said.

"What do you want to do, lad? Do you want to go finish the movie, or do something else?" Hudson asked.

"We could watch a different movie." Lex offered. "Or we could read something."

"What about practicing gliding again?" Brook asked. "My wings are not what they used to be before my kidnapping."

"We could work on that a little bit too, lad. Sure. If that's what you want." Hudson replied. Brooklyn then nodded in agreement. The two helped Brooklyn to take off from the roof while steadying him while walking. He was nervous but Lex gave him an encouraging look and it helped him take to the air.

Hudson and Lex were by Brooklyn's side all the way as he started putting his wings to use once again. The broken bone in the right wing had been healed for a little while now, but was still having an issue since having been injured and not used much in so long. His wing cramped a bit, but he was going to start trying to get his wings strong again. It was like having to learn to glide all over again.

There were times when his wing felt so sore that he felt himself losing altitude, but Hudson managed to get him balanced again. "I got ya," he murmured. Brooklyn gave a little smile, glad he had loved ones to catch him whenever he fell now.

Eventually, they all returned to the castle. Brooklyn stuck close to Hudson, but he had seemed to overcome his fear of Lexington after this too.

Hesitantly, Hercules was put back on to finish it up. Brooklyn wanted to see it to the end. He liked it when he overcame his mortal weakness and saved his love and got his godhood back, even though he chose to be mortal in the end to be with Meg.

After that, Brooklyn just wanted to go back to his room. But this had been a good start to him coming out and starting some normal activity again.

The others would be more than happy to help Brooklyn with his gliding again too. It would be nice to get him out of the castle, but still close by it. His wings needed to heal and get stronger before he would be ready for actual patrolling again. He still wasn't ready for that either.

The real test was working on his mentality though. He had to overcome his fear of especially his leader, Goliath. He had to see that Goliath was not Thailog. And no one in the castle was trying to trick or torture him.

His weight was slowly coming back up, but he needed to start to eat other things too besides soup. Later, Brooklyn asked for some cooked hamburger for a change. He wanted something besides chicken. Broadway was all too happy to make it for him. This was also a start to his real appetite returning.

Everyone was pleased that he was starting to open up a little more.