The Arcobaleno, aside from Skull, were enjoying a rare moment of peace where nearly all of them were free from contracts. They were bundled up in the living room watching a movie with the fireplace burning fiercely when the front door to the manor was slammed open by a massive octopus that was writhing its tentacles in distress. Reborn narrowed his eyes and smoothly stalked over to Skull's pet, the Arcobaleno shadowing him.

Oodako moved before the worried Arcobaleno reached her and Skull's limp body was revealed to the group. "Verde, get the lab ready," Reborn snapped as he ran around the shrinking octopus with Sun flame-coated hands and gently touched the unconscious Cloud.

Fon knelt by Skull's head and softly pulled bloodied hair back from his face to reveal a large gash covering his forehead. "He has a head wound Reborn," Fon alerted the hitman and began to search through the purple hair to see if there were any more head wounds.

Colonello activated his Rain flames and they began curling around the weak Cloud flames in an attempt to soothe Skull's bruised and battered body. "Viper, I need a stretcher," Reborn ordered as he let his flames flicker away, "There's nothing I can do here."

A stretcher was quickly materialised, and Viper hovered next to Reborn as he moved Skull onto the board with the Rain's help. "What's wrong with him?" They asked in a monotonously, although looking closely would show that they were close to panicking.

A grim pull of Reborn's lip gave away the answer, "Let's just say he's lucky that he didn't break something important."

"I'm going to go help Verde with the supplies," Fon called out as he began walking briskly away, eyes flashing bright red every few seconds.

Skull's eyes squeezed shut and he let out an agonized moan as the mist-created board was gently floated into the air. Dazed amethyst eyes were shown in slivers, "O-Oodako."

"She's fine Skull, kora," Colonello told the Cloud as they slowly made their way to the Infirmary.

Skull turned confused, "Colonello? Where am I?"

"You managed to get back to the mansion," Reborn cut into the conversation, "Do you have a headache?"

"I think so…" Skull trailed off and his eyes fluttered shut.

Reborn firmly tapped his Lackey on the cheek that wasn't bruised, "You need to stay awake. Do you understand Skull?"

"Yeah," Skull sighed turning his head to look at the Rain who was on his right, "Where's Oodako?"

"Back at the entrance but she's fine Skull," Colonello murmured to the limp teen.

Skull blinked, "Oh. Where am I?"

Colonello looked to Reborn in confusion, "We told you. You're at the Arcobaleno mansion."

"Really?" Skull questioned, "Oodako?"

Reborn sent Colonello a sharp shake as he answered Skull, "Your octopus is fine. I need you to stay awake and be quiet for me okay?"

"Alright," Skull agreed, and he began to stare at the moving ceiling with dazed eyes.

"I thought you said that he was okay?" Colonello hissed at the Sun.

Reborn glared at the Rain, "I said quote unquote he's lucky he didn't break anything important. I said nothing about his head injuries as far as I can recall."

"What's wrong with his head?" The sniper glanced at Skull to make sure the Cloud was still awake.

The hitman wavered, "He has a really bad concussion, hence why I didn't exactly want to move him with Mist flames."

"If you've finished, we're here," Viper intoned as they carefully set Skull down on the bed Verde prepared.

Verde was laying out every single ointment, antibiotic, surgery supplies and more after Fon sterilized the metals with his Storm flames. "Anyone who isn't knowledgeable in medicine can get out of the way, except for you Fon, I might need you," Reborn ordered after Viper stood back.

"Set up an IV with 10mg of Propofol," Reborn started as he began stripping Skull down to his boxers.

Verde raised an eyebrow as he started the IV kit, "Why Propofol? I would have thought we would have needed him out for longer."

"There is no internal bleeding and aside from dealing with broken bones and a concussion there's nothing else to fix," Reborn said as he waited for the Propofol to take effect, "Someone go and get Skull one of his metabolism bars, two water bottles and something light to eat."

Colonello left the room just as the drugs in the IV started affecting Skull and Reborn focused back on his impromptu patient. He swept Skull with his flames once more to double check the placements of the breaks before speaking. "He has three broken ribs on his right side and two cracked on the other. His left wrist is fractured as well as his ankle, and his right arm is broken in two places," Reborn rattled off as he began amassing his powerful Sun flames.

"Again, is Propofol really the best choice here?" Verde questioned with a slightly hysterical tone.

Yellow-wreathed hands rest on Skull's broken arm and begin to heal the bone, "Have you forgotten that his Cloud flames actively seek to heal his injuries? Skull's ribs will be healed within the next hour and I can deal with everything else before he wakes, aside from the concussion anyway."

Fon moved to the side as Verde pushed past him to deal with the unnecessary medical tools, "Was there a reason you wanted me to stay here Reborn?"

"You can leave now," Reborn said brusquely as he focused on Skull, "I wasn't sure whether Skull was poisoned or not until now."

Fon discreetly smiled at the distracted Sun and shifted away from the bed, "I'll assure the others then."

Reborn hummed faintly as he shifted his hands to Skull's wrist and didn't look up when Fon walked over to where the other Arcobaleno were sitting and looking worriedly at the Cloud. "He's fine," Fon confirmed as he sat next to Viper and the newly-returned Colonello, "Nothing he won't be able to shake off in a few days."

"The concussion?" Viper asked as they had overheard Skull's conversation with Colonello.

Fon thought about it for a minute, "Reborn didn't seem too worried about it. I think that once Skull's flames have finished healing his ribs then they will redirect to his head wound."

"That's what Reborn wants to happen," Verde confirms as he too walked over, "It's why he wants to heal Skull's other injuries, so the flames will automatically redirect to his head trauma."

Reborn took a step back from the bed and sunk into the chair opposite of Skull. Seeing as the hitman was done, the other Arcobaleno rushed over and waited for answers, Verde being the exception as he stopped to grab a bottle of aspirin and one of the water bottle's Colonello gathered. "Another one of the reasons why I didn't want you to put him under for such a short time," Verde remarked as he handed over the painkillers and water to the pale Sun.

"Shut up," Reborn grumbled as he dry-swallowed the pills and ignored the water, "He's fine now by the way. I don't think he'll wake up though, his body was on the brink of exhaustion."

Viper conjured a chair to sit in and shut their eyes for a short sleep after they dared the others to wake them with a glare filled with Mist flames. Colonello placed the food and other water bottle on the bedside table and dragged chairs over for the others before pulling out a book he wanted to finish and settled in for a long wait.

"Don't think you're getting off this easily Reborn," Verde warned, "On the other bed now and go to sleep. Your flames are exhausted."

Reborn protested, "No they aren't! I've healed much worse before."

Verde raised an eyebrow, "With more time, yes. Now get on the bed before I make you."

"Fine," Reborn pouted as he moved onto the bed adjacent to Skull and closed his eyes, "Happy?"

Verde nodded, "Very."

XXXXXX

"It's mine," Viper hissed as Colonello reached for the strawberry milk. They gave the Rain a terrifying smile when he yanked his hand away in fear.

Colonello groaned, "Why do you even like that stuff? Ginger beer is way better."

The Mist gave Colonello a patronizing stare, "And you were going to drink it because?"

"I'm bored," whined the sniper as he looked at Reborn reading his discarded book. "Is he going to wake up soon?" Colonello asked the Sun.

As if scripted, Skull gave a low moan as he began to slowly return to consciousness. "There's your answer," Reborn said condescendingly as he walked over to Skull.

"Reborn?" Skull groaned as he probed the room with his flames.

"That's Sempai to you Lackey," Reborn smirked as the Cloud's eyes slowly opened and landed on his figure.

Fon gave the healing Cloud a gentle smile, "It is nice to hear your voice again Skull."

"Where's Oodako?" Skull asked when he didn't see his partner.

Colonello shook his head in denial, "We are not going through this again, kora!"

"He's fine you idiot," Reborn rolled his eyes at the Rain's antics, "Oodako is resting in her tank at the moment."

Skull nodded, not fully awake yet until he blinked and sat up quickly, "How did I get here? The last thing I remember was…"

"As far as we know, Oodako carried you here," Viper commented as they floated by Skull's bed. "Where were you?" They questioned before Skull could get side-tracked.

Skull gave an awkward laugh, "The guys who gave me the information for my mission lied to me. They said there was only three guards around the place when it was more like twenty."

"This is why we tell you not to take missions Skull," Verde gave an exasperated sigh and rubbed his forehead.

A sheepish smile was thrown Verde's way, "I know but a contact of mine said they were pretty good. They won't sell me out, so I guess it's because of our old title that was the reason I was backstabbed like this."

"They sold you out because you were an Arcobaleno," Fon said in a mild tone, "What are their names?"

Skull grimaced at the look on the Storm's face, "Antonio Vargas and Feliciano Fernandes."

"They're mine," Fon warned the others with a red shine entering his eyes.

The Cloud sighed at Fon's overprotectiveness, "Why are all of you so protective towards me."

"You're our lackey," Reborn growled at the bemused Cloud.

Colonello nodded, "Don't ever forget it, kora!"

"Now lay back and eat the salad Fon made you," Viper ordered.

Skull sent a pleading look towards Verde, "You aren't going to leave me with them, are you?"

"What are you talking about?" Verde asked over his shoulder as he started to walk towards the doors, "I'm sure you'll be fine."

Skull panicked, "Verde, no! Don't leave me with them, I beg you!"

"Bye Skull," Verde called out as he exited the Infirmary. He smirked at the tortured cries of the Cloud. That would teach him to eat the last of Fon's cookies.