"Everything was perfectly healthy and normal here in Denial Land."

-Jim Butcher, Cold Days

Chapter 2…

Cj stood to the back of the bathroom with a growing headache. It had been an hour since they brought Rigby back to the house and the storm was only getting worse.

Not to mention, the household guests were only getting more restless, and if it was even possible, more annoying.

Rigby had fallen back into unconsciousness quickly after he woke up about 30 minutes ago, and he finally, fortunately was starting to warm up.

"He's not out of the woods yet." Skips sighed, pulling Cj from her thoughts, and back into the conversation.

"Can we get him somewhere more comfortable? I mean we've been sitting here on the cold tiles of the bathroom for an hour now." Benson said, looking over in concern at Mordecai.

He was still holding Rigby to him, but now he was starting to look bad himself. His eyes had dark circles under them and they were puffy from crying. And every few minutes he let out a soft yawn.

Cj wondered to herself if Benson was actually aiming his concern towards Mordecai.

"We can take Rigby to my house," Skips put in suddenly. "For all I know no one is in there."

"Great," Benson smiled in relief "Muscle Man, Fives, you guys stay here with me. Some of us need to look after the people here. Besides we don't want to overcrowd Skips' house."

"Sounds good… but I have a question. How are we going to get through the storm and to Skips' house? The storm's gotten impossibly worse." Cj asked.

"Yeah. And there's no way I'm taking Rigby back into the storm." Mordecai suddenly said defensively.

"Good point. I guess that's out then." Benson sighed.

"We'll just kick people out of our room." Rigby whispered in a hoarse voice. Everyone stared over at him.

"Dude! How long have you been awake?" Mordecai asked a little too loudly, causing Rigby to flinch.

"Not so loud dude… I have a headache," Rigby answered "I've only been awake for a few seconds. Long enough to… (cough) hear a-about Skip's h-h-house…"

By the time he finished he entered a coughing fit, the coughs were loud and grotesque. And they hurt his throat so much that single tears leaked out of the corner of his eyelids.

Mordecai looked down at his best pal guiltily, and started to rub the little guy's back gently. "Shh… breathe Rigs breathe."

Taking comfort in Mordecai's words, Rigby sucked in a big breath of air, slowly finding himself able to calm down, until his coughs were reduced to pitiful wheezes.

Once he calmed down, he took in his surroundings once more. He was still in the bathroom… being held by his best friend. And everyone, including his boss and Muscle man were looking on with concern. Even Mordecai's stinking girlfriend was staring at him…

Suddenly embarrassed, Rigby hid his face in Mordecai's chest. Breathing in the smell of Mordecai and feeling his feathers tickle his chin. He didn't care if later his friend teased him, he just wanted the others to stop freaking staring at him. The only one he ever allowed himself to be weak in front of was Mordecai.

Realizing his friend's embarrassment right away, Mordecai stood up and made his way to their room, once making it inside, he was happy to see the people had left, so he shut the door in his other friend's faces, feeling weirdly protective all of a sudden.

If Rigby didn't want them staring at him, it was up to Mordecai to stop it.

Without thinking, instead of placing Rigby on his mass of dirty clothes on top of his trampoline, he slowly lowered Rigby onto his bed, tucking him under the covers, and with one last pat on the head he turned to leave so Rigby could sleep.

"Wait…" Rigby said meekly.

"What is it bud?" Mordecai asked in concern.

"C-can you… stay with me?" Rigby asked, surprising both Mordecai and himself.

If it were any normal day, Mordecai would have teased his best friend, but stayed with him anyways.

But today wasn't any normal day. And as the winds whipped the branches against their single window, casting an eerie looking shadow across the room, Mordecai made his way back over to the bed, sliding under the covers with Rigby.

As he did this, only one thought came up in his mind.

Something was wrong.

He wasn't supposed to feel this.

This wasn't normal… right?

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"Well then…" Cj murmed to herself as the door was effectively shut in her face.

Skips placed a hand on her shoulder as she sadly looked towards the ground.

"Don't take this the wrong way Cj. He's just worried about his friend. Those two have been friends for basically their whole lives. Don't take it personally."

Cj nodded in understanding. "You're right. I'm just being selfish. Rigby needs Mordecai right now."

Besides I am the one that has his heart, after all I'm his girlfriend.

With this thought in mind, Cj was about to turn around and make her way to the crowded living room with the others, when a loud bang on the door was heard from the front entrance.

Benson and Cj shared a quick look of worry, before rushing down the long stairway, the others on their feet.

What they saw at the bottom was enough to take their breaths away.

All the park visitors hid in the corner of the rooms, shivering and crying.

There in the middle of the room was a tall cloaked man with wild black hair flowing from the top of his head. His mouth was unnaturally wide and he wore a huge freaky grin, showing crystal white jagged teeth. On the very ends of his two front teeth, red liquid dripped. He was skinny, and when he lifted his arms up black spirits with white faces screeched out, and flew out of the room.

There he stood, right next to a gaping hole that was once the front door.

"W-who are you?" Benson asked bravely.

"I am the boogeyman." He stated.

"And I'm here to end the world."

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Mordecai was on the edge of sleep, just between awareness and oblivion.

He felt a small paw on his back, and fought with his feelings.

At the moment… he and his feelings were at war.

Amidst the craziness of his mind he fought to think of someone other than Rigby… like Cj. He liked Cj.

And that was about 50% true.

He really did like Cj. But as much as he hated to admit it to himself, he only liked her as a friend.

Those sparks that were supposed to come with a kiss, were nowhere to be seen. They weren't around…

They didn't exist.

But… then who did he like?

Did he still love Margaret?

Or did he ever love Margaret?

Before he could think of the answer to that horrifying question… he was startled awake by a loud scream from downstairs.

Turning, he saw that Rigby had also woken up, and he looked just as confused as Mordecai was.

"Let's go!" Mordecai said, jumping out of the bed and making his way to the door.

For the second time that night he was stopped by a weak voice before he could leave.

"Mordecai…"

"Rigby we have to go." Mordecai said urgently.

"I know but…"

"No dude, we have to go."

"Dude, Mordecai just listen to me… I know we need to go but…" Rigby looked down in defeat and shame "I-I can't walk."

It hit Mordecai then, his little buddy was still sick. He was still too weak to walk.

"Oh… Rigby I'm sorry." He whispered, feeling incredibly insensitive.

Walking over to the small raccoon, he lifted his face with his wings until he was looking at him. He felt even worse when he saw his small emotional friend on the edge of tears.

"Rigby… it's ok."

And with that he was once again lifting his small friend into his arms, and they were running.

Not realizing or caring… about the trouble they were about to run into.

TBC…

Hey everyone here's chapter 2! I hope you enjoy it and please REVIEW!