Manny awoke sometime later. Everything hurt, but he was also distinctively numb. Nothing felt real. He felt like he was in a dream. Like he was dead dead. He wished he was. He had nothing left. Domino had taken his last shred of dignity. He had no more tears left to cry. In his mind's eye, he suddenly saw something. A business man down on his luck, perched on top of a ten story building. That same numb feeling. That same agonizing hopelessness and depression. He jumped. Then nothing. Just death. His death? He couldn't remember. It didn't really matter. He wanted that. That nothing. So he wouldn't have to deal with anything anymore. He was exhausted. Once he stepped out of that closet, he would have to continue. Continue his journey to the afterlife. Deal with all the twisting emotions that lay tucked away like a ticking time bomb. Would it even be worth it? Was there anything really out there for him? Maybe it would be better if his journey ended right here, in this closet. It would be easier. Then he could finally rest. Just him and this dark closet forever and ever and ever.

Someone screamed.

Manny jumped up, the noise was faint, but it snapped him instantly out of his depressive loop. It sounded like…

"Meches." Manuel breathed.

Meches was in danger. How could he forget about her? And Glottis? and Bibi? and Pugsby? And every other soul on this island who needed his help. How could he leave them all by giving up here? They needed him. He needed them.

Manny quickly got himself in order. His hand paused momentarily on that handle. He quickly swung it open without a further thought and rushed down the corridor, toward Meches' office. Ignoring his pain, and focusing solely on that scream, Manny went as fast as his legs could take him.

He stopped at the vault door just before her office, hearing someone pounding against it.

"Meches," Calavera's voice came out much scratcher than he had anticipated and he cleared his throat quickly, before finishing his sentence.

"Are you alright?"

The banging paused, before a voice called out.

"Manny? I'm … I'm okay. Domino locked me in here, he… he does that sometimes." Meches' voice was slightly muffled from behind the metal door, and Manny had to strain to hear her.

"Don't worry, I'll get you out."

"Okay, just… be careful." He managed to catch.

Manny glanced around making sure he wasn't nearby, before setting to work. He still had the bust-all on him and thinking quick used it to break open the combination lock. The abrasive noise of jackhammer on metal had Manny cringing, but a quick look down the hallway showed that Domino seemed to be none the wiser. Gracias a Dios, he wasn't sure what Domino would do if he found out he was destroying his property. Manny shook his head trying to stop his imagination from concocting any vivid and all too real scenarios and set to work. After fiddling with the wheel for a bit and getting all the tumblers to line up, Manny was relieved when he finally got the door open.

The room that greeted him was quite spacious, with filing cabinets reaching to the ceiling. He wasn't sure what Domino really needed to file, he never was really good with paperwork.

"Meches?" Manny called out, unable to spot her anywhere.

"Over here."

Some of the cabinets had been pulled away, revealing a second secret room. In it, he found Meches leaning up against the wall, smoking feverishly.

"My secret hiding spot." She said simply. Manny looked her over.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

She gave a small nod and nothing more.

Manny stood awkwardly next to her. He wanted to get closer to her, to embrace her after all he had gone through. Like he had embraced Domino. The thought made Manny visibly recoil and Meches quirked an eyebrow at that. The dark thoughts from back in the closet began to rise up again. Manny glanced around, trying to find something to occupy his mind. Anything to get him away from those thoughts again. He spotted some briefcases sitting in the corner, and pretended to become incredibly fascinated in them. As Manny made his way towards them, he suddenly became acutely aware of the limp he sported. Too busy in the adrenaline from running toward Meches' screaming, he hadn't realized the full extent of what Dom had done to him. He vainly tried to ignore how Meches' eyes were trained on him, clearly noticing as well, He attempted to act casual, but the swirling typhoon followed him all the way to his destination. With a languid sigh, in a last ditch effort to shake his mind clear, he popped one of the briefcases open. He quickly sucked that breath back in sharply, his interest really piqued now.

"Double N tickets?" Manny gaped. There had to be hundreds of them in this briefcase alone, and there were a dozen more in the pile.

"Mm." Meches said nodding her head, but she wasn't really paying attention. Her eyes faraway, but still trained on Manny.

"Something's not right though. Back in my hay day I saw Double N tickets all the time," Manny thought aloud.

"They would become agitated around souls, and would literally leap into the hands of the soul they belonged to, but these ones seem… dead."

Manny leaned over the tickets, inspecting them carefully. Meches held her elbow up puffing away. Eyes still trained on the other.

"Fakes," Manny announced.

"But why would Don Copal be hoarding counterfeit Double N tickets?"

Manny frowned staring over the golden glossy papers deep in thought, as Meches took the cigarette from out of her mouth. She held it in one hand playing with the filter, inadvertently tapping ashes and loose tobacco all over the ground.

"Manny." She said, suddenly going quiet when his eyes met hers.

"I needed to tell you… the reason Domino locked me in here… I punched him."

"Ey, good for you! Showing that pendejos what's what!" Manny smiled, but Meches didn't.

"The reason I did…" Meches glanced away. Manny's smile quickly faded seeing how serious she was.

"The reason I did, was because Domino had started bragging. He came into my office boasting to me about what he did…" Meches eyes met Manny's again.

"To you."

When Manny didn't say anything, didn't move, didn't breathe, she continued.

"He told me that he broke and… violated you. I told him he was full of it, but then I remembered that look. That look you had yesterday, when you came out of his office. So I hit him."

Manny stepped away from Meches, toward the door. He couldn't look at her.

"It's true isn't it?" Meches said.

Manny stayed quiet.

"Are you okay?" Meches asked quietly after a beat.

Manny gripped the wall, leaning against it for support. He let out a deep sigh.

"...I don't know."

The thoughts swirled in Manny's head like a tsunami now. They crashed and flooded over him. Striving to drown him in their severity. He needed lifering.

Suddenly Manny rushed toward she had a chance to react, he took the smouldering filter from her hands and crushed it underfoot. Then, gently in shaking hands, took her's in his own. He brought his gaze up, to look her in the eye.

"What I do know," He said. "Is that Glottis has probably got our boat up and running by now. And it's big enough to get all of these other souls off of this island."

Manny took in a shuddering breath, before letting it out.

"What I also know, is that I need you Meches. I can't go without you."

Meches squeezed his hands and nodded.

"Lead the way."

And Manny was right, Glottis was quick in his turn around. Word spread quickly around the island of the boat waiting on the coast. It didn't take very long before everyone was loaded on and the ship was setting sail. With the added reef-eater Glottis had attached, nothing could stand in their way. And all without Domino's knowledge, at least that was what they hoped. Now, as the island began to shrink into the distance, Manny clutched Meches hand.

"So, I guess you're not planning on getting your old job back." Meches said.

"I promised I was getting everyone out of here and I am. Nothing left to do but get us to the end of the line." Manny said, giving her hand a squeeze. She frowned and looked down suddenly.

"I'm sorry, Manny." Meches spoke quietly.

Manny blinked at her.

"For what?"

"For not trusting you, and for letting you fall into Domino's trap."

"That's not your fault." Manny proclaimed.

"Well, it's not yours either then!" Meches said as if reading his mind. There was such an earnestness in her eyes and a seriousness in her posture. He wasn't sure if he fully believed her, if he ever would. But that look, that unshakable look in her eyes, made him believe it, only if just a little. But there was something else going through his mind, one of his horrible thoughts had worked its way into the forefront of his consciousness. Surely, this feeling had to be untrue. How Meches held him with such warmth was proof enough. But nevertheless the question burned up inside, threatening to eat him alive. What and how much did Domino tell her, and just how much of that was true? What if she… He couldn't say it. But, what if it was true? What if… What if she thinks…

The sudden lurch to the boat had Mercedes falling over Manuel. Looking over the side, Manny spotted an all too familiar submarine, with an all too familiar face poking out of it.

"I don't believe you Manny! I give you one job and this is what happens!"

Manny clenched his fist in rage, instantly seeing red. Without thinking, he jumped onto Domino's sub. He was going to kill him, for everything he had done. He wouldn't stop until Domino Hurley was nothing more than a fine powder.

"I'll tell you what, you've got balls Calavera, thinking you're any match for me." Domino taunted.

Manny quickly flung out his scythe to match his opponent and jumped toward Hurley, but the other was quick to dodge him.

"That or you're incredibly stupid."

"Shut it, Dom! I've had enough!" Manny cried and took another swipe at the other. Domino blocked it and pushed him backwards. Manny stumbled to stay on his feet. He felt a shooting pain up his spine. Being face to face with the man you caused him that pain only heightened his anger.

"Why do you keep trying, Manny? She hates you, all that time she spent in the petrified forest was your fault." Domino leered.

"I said, shut it, ese!" Manny yelled, swiping and missing yet again.

"You know, I told her everything. Just how much of a slut you are, and you know what else?"

Manny swung his scythe at Domino, grunting in anger and exertion. Domino blocked it with ease and brought his face in close to Manny's.

"She thinks you're disgusting."

Manny felt his heart plummet into his stomach

What if… What if she thinks…

"How could she ever be with a man like you? After what you let happen?" Domino pushed him roughly and Manny couldn't stop as he hit the deck hard, his scythe bouncing out of his hand.

"Admit it Manny, deep down, there was a part of you that liked it. To be used. Do you think she could ever be with someone like that?"

Manny's eyes were wide, his breathing short and quick. Disgusting. She thinks he was disgusting. He let Domino rape him. He was right! He was disgusting, terrible, worthless.

"But don't worry, Cally, you still have me. I don't mind." Domino's hand gently gripped Manny's chin, forcing him to look at him, his eyes were full of lust. Manny shivered. That was all he was good for, wasn't it? Domino's puppet. His fucktoy. His entertainment. No one could possibly love him. He didn't want this. All this pain and hopelessness. He should have ended it when he had the chance.

He heard his name called in the distance, growing in volume. Multiple voices, all calling out to him. He looked over. At the ship, everyone on board was calling to him. He spotted Glottis and Pugsby and Bibi. And among all the faces he spotted Meches, her voice calling out to him, like she called out when she was trapped in that room. That voice that had helped him when he had been trapped in his own mind.

Manny reached for his scythe and kicked Domino off of himself. He looked around, his head finally clear since he jumped onto the sub. He didn't have much to work with, on the wide wooden deck, as Domino was quickly getting back his bearings. Out of the corner of his eye Manny spotted something he hadn't before. The periscope behind him, and the huge yellow eye it sported.

"You'll pay for that, Calavera." Domino hissed. Manny swung his scythe, but not at Domino.

The squid gave out an anguished roar, and the submarine rocked dangerously, before the giant cephalopod took off. They were now certifiably dead in the water.

"I don't believe you Calavera. You're losing the fight, so you start picking on one of my pets?" Hurley screeched.

The sudden cross-check to his chest had Manny tumbling to the deck again, this time hitting his head hard on some metal piping. Manny held his skull as Domino approached.

"Why aren't you more like me, Manny? I've been trying to show you how, but you don't listen! Obviously my lessons aren't sticking. Just you wait for what I have in store for you, Manny! Then you'll finally see! Look what could happen to you!" Domino didn't notice the ship before it was too late. The reef-eater promptly reduced him to bits. Manny clung to the side of the sub, as it was being dragged under, soon to meet the same fate as Domino. Just then, the angelitos appeared. Grabbing an arm each, they hauled Manny up as the boat quickly made clean work.

Glottis was immediately on Manny hauling him into a bear hug.

"Oh Manny, I'm so glad you're okay! You had us all worried!" Glottis quickly dropped Manny, who staggered back after the bone crushing embrace.

"Thanks Glottis, it means a lot."

Meches put her hand on Manny's arm and he grabbed it. He looked into her eyes. Domino's words echoed inside him.

She hates you. She thinks you're disgusting.

Manny shuffled nervously, suddenly shifting his gaze away.

"Meches...could I talk to you for a second." He said quietly giving her arm a small tug to lead her.

"Manny, where are you going?" Glottis asked, like a lost puppy.

Manny tried to put on a smile.

"I just need to talk to Meches, I'll be right back okay, mano?"

Glottis nodded at him. Manny flashed him another smile and began leading Meches by the arm. God, he would have to tell Glottis what had happened eventually, wouldn't he? The thought of hiding something so big from his best friend was impossible. He just didn't know how he would take it. Baby steps, Calavera. First he needed to talk to Meches. Finding a secluded spot below the deck, Manny took a careful seat on the floor. The action caused him some discomfort and he tried not to wince too badly. Meches sat herself next to him, her hand never leaving his. Manny let out a deep sigh.

"Meches, I don't know how much Domino has told you, but I want to set things straight."

"Manny, you don't need to do that. " Meches interjected.

"No, I need to, I want to. I've been thinking of all the horrible things Domino could have told you. I'll spare you the graphic details, but I want you to hear what happened. Not from him, but from me."

Meches took in a deep breath as well and looked deep into Manny's eyes.

"Okay," she whispered. "Go ahead."

And Manny did. He told her about how Domino first threatened him with his gun, forcing him to do as he wished, even going so far as to use it and have him slowly sprout on the ground. Then he told her about earlier that day, when Domino had groped and violated him on their tour. His voice shook in anger, as he recounted how he broke down in front of Domino. Accidentally revealing that shameful and vulnerable part of himself to the man he most despised. And how Domino had thrown it back at him, doubling his pain and humiliation. He finally finished by telling her how he had passed out, before waking up to the sound of her screaming.

He sat quietly after that, letting her soak in everything. Letting her come to a conclusion before he asked.

"Meches," Manny softly murmured "Do you hate me?"

Meches squeezed his hand.

"No Manny, I don't hate you. I was angry with you before, when I thought you might be working with Domino, but clearly I was wrong."

"Do you think I'm weak?" Manny croaked out.

"No, Manny, in fact I think you're very strong."

"Do you think I'm…"

Manny paused. He looked into her face. She looked at him with those compassionate eyes. That mouth, serious but tugged ever so slightly into a warm smile, waiting patiently for him to speak. He realized he already knew the answer. He had known it from the beginning. His dark thoughts were wrong. Domino was wrong.

He kissed her then, bringing a hand to her head and tipping it up slightly. She kissed back, lacing her fingers in his. Everything was going to be alright. For the first time in a long time, he felt alive.