randomplaces | Gargoyles' reality. Manhattan General Hospital. Intensive care ward.

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Gargoyles' reality. Manhattan General Hospital. Intensive care ward.

Goliath sighed as he walked through the door and found himself and his alternate in the hospital cafeteria. "I meant to get something to eat, but I'd forgotten."

A young nurse came up behind them and gently poked gargoyle Goliath in the wing. "Excuse me, please. I need coffee NOW."

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"Er, ah, yes. Please, excuse me," Goliath said, stepping out of the way. He'd been momentarily thrown by the sudden transition to a new location, even more so by the seeming lack of shock directed toward him.

Goliath watched her go, then started slightly and turned to step forward as a youthful voice called his name. "Ryan? What is it?"

"You vanished! Like, poof, gone!" The sandy-haired boy was shaking slightly. "I'd just ben going to tell Elisa."

The former gargoyle sighed and put a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I was not gone long, then?"

"No... no, not really." Ryan slumped, but then started and stared at gargoyle Goliath.

"This is my alternate, Goliath," rumbled Goliath, then turned to his twin. "And this is Ryan, Claw's adopted son."

"Hey, man." The boy extended his hand without thinking to offer a high five, but then blushed and withdrew it.

Such strange differences in a universe, Goliath mused, smiling slightly. This was an option that seemed more likely to happen in his world as well, than others that filled this universe.

"A pleasure," he said.

"Yeah." The boy's face worked slightly, but failed to produce a smile.

Goliath put a gentle hand to the back of his neck and turned to look at the food options before walking over and picking up a couple random sandwiches and grabbing and draining a lukewarm cup of coffee before getting himself another and going to the till.

"So... you're still purple," said Ryan awkwardly, looking up at the gargoyle.

"Ah, yes," Goliath replied. Even with the ones at the Castle back home, he was unused to dealing with children. "Our two worlds differ in that and many other areas."

Ryan nodded, then reluctantly accepted the sandwich that Goliath handed him and was listlessly picking it open when he looked up and saw Claw at the far door. His face brightened and without another word the teen abandoned both Goliaths and made for his adopted father's side. Claw met him with a hug that normally would have embarrassed him, then lead him away without a backward glance.

Goliath watched him go with clenched jaw, then turned to his twin. "Do you wish anything?"

Goliath shook his head. "No, thank-you. It was not that long ago that I last ate."

"Very well." He went through the door and made his way to the elevator, wincing as two teenage girls got the giggles at sight of his twin's attire.

Goliath followed, his lavender cheeks flushing slightly at the giggling. "A strange thing, acceptance," he mused quietly.

"Indeed." Goliath nodded his head to an elderly lady, who smiled at him and then grinned at the gargoyle before turning her eyes to the floor lights.

Goliath smiled as well and nodded politely as he entered the elevator.

Such a strange thing, a human counterpart to himself. Almost as perplexing, he imagined, as Elisa was to some of the variants upon their world they had encountered. Could he have endured as this version of himself had, as Elisa had? Suddenly thrust into a whole new type of existence, with new limitations, new experiences... He was not so certain he was that strong.

Goliath was drinking coffee as the elevator door opened. He nearly sputtered in it as he caught sight of Franklin standing there looking lost and frightened.

"What is it?" He strode out of the elevator.

His clone sighed, brightening slightly for a moment before looking ashamed. "Father! Hudson said to go with you, but you were already gone, and I didn't know where to find you."

The relief nearly made Golath fall over. He leaned against the wall and took deep breaths.

It was only an act of willpower that allowed Goliath not to attempt to strike out at 'Franklin' upon seeing him. His monstrous clone was just as responsible for the loss of Faye as Eris, more deaths which would be held at both the feet of Sevarius--who still had not faced justice for his crimes--and Xanatos. That they were beholden to Xanatos for hearth and home irked him greatly, yet this was tempered by the simple knowledge that Xanatos owed them greatly for their defense of his son.

He too exited the elevator, but chose not to speak in this semi-private moment.

Franklin had moved closer to his father with concern, but when the big lavender gargoyle came off the elevator he blinked, his mouth actually falling open with confusion and surprise as his eyes lit momentarily.

Goliath looked up to see why he was being so quiet and saw him staring at his twin. "Franklin." He shook his head and put a hand on his shoulder in reassurance. "This is... ah, you could call him my twin brother. He lives in a city far away."

"Twin brother?" The clone's childlike expression looked out of place on his craggy face as he looked at Goliath the gargoyle sideways.

Goliath had not been expecting that explanation, but Franklin's strange and childlike wonderment suggested that an explanation of multiple realities was simply not an option.

"A good way of putting it," he said.

"But... I didn't know you had a twin brother." He turned an earnest frown to his father.

"Neither did I until a little while ago." Goliath put an arm around his shoulders and turned him toward Lex's room. "How is Lexington?"

The frown faded to woebegone sadness. "Still hurt. Hudson's praying, but it isn't working yet."

Goliath nodded, then looked for his twin.

Goliath moved to follow, almost uncertain about entering on what seemed like a private, family affair, but he quickly reminded himself that this was family, or a variation there of.

Do you see what I mean? Goliath's expression seemed to ask him as they walked into a private room abeep with machines. And I can't make it better.

Hudson and a dark-skinned girl looked up from the chairs beside the bed, and the old gargoyle started to his feet with an exclamation of surprise when he saw their visitor.

"I... I am sorry to have startled you," Goliath said, holding up his hands to show that he meant no harm.

Hudson looked at him for a long moment, then looked at his own Goliath as he replied, "Tis alright, lad. Yer welcome here."

Then he looked at the girl. "Emily, lass, will ye take Franklin down ta get somethin' t' eat?"

"Sure." She frowned at the big lavender gargoyle, then gently squeezed Lex's hand before walking over to take Franklin's and lead him out of the room.

Hudson waited till their footsteps had died away, then looked once more at the visitor. "This is a story I cannae wait tae hear."

"He is me," rumbled Goliath. "From another reality."

"A rather different one," Goliath added. "Where we still struggle for the acceptance you have so readily, and where, in something of a reversal of this world, Elisa has taken wing by our side."

He cast a glance down at Lexington, the human form looking much as he remembered that of Lex taking during Puck's machinations. It pained him greatly to see one of his Clan, even one a world removed, injured so. All the greater was the pain in the knowledge of how severe these injuries were. Elisa had nearly died from an accidental wound. How much worse would a deliberate one be?

"The lass would make a fine gargoyle." Hudson too looked down at the pale face of the boy in the bed. Then his good eye went toward where his own Goliath was anxiously studying the monitors on the machines. "There's been no change, lad. Sit ye down 'n eat before Elisa comes back. Yer comin' over queer won't help anythin'."

Such helplessness... I can feel it too, Goliath thought. Knowing there is little you can do but stand and watch. A poor situation for those like myself and... myself. We are creatures of action, used to solving problems with our fists. But the world changed on us, because a more complicated place...

He just sighed, at a total loss for words.

Hudson sighed to and looked up at him. "Ye wanna go poke 'im? I dinnae think he heard 'n I dinnae want another puddle 'o coffee on the floor."

Goliath's grip on his coffee cup was indeed absentmindedly precarious, and his sandwich was rather crushed.

Goliath rested a hand on his counterpart's shoulder. "Goliath," he said. "This will do you no good. Sit and take your meal. You cannot help anyone if you ignore your own needs."

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Gargoyles' reality. Manhattan General Hospital. Intensive care ward.

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