Sensing his partners stress he sighed and opened up a mental channel. 
She is suffering from mental trauma. There is likely just some mental blockage going on that a therapist that specializes in military cases should be able to help her with. Though it doesn’t make it any less worrisome that she’s feeling that way.
Then grunted as he created the anchor to Witchhaven college then continued to work to create a stable bridge using shadows. Then clapped his hands and teleported all four of them there and waiting there was Edgar and he had something in his hands a sports bottle with a twist cap. Hammond collapsed onto a mattress that had been perfectly laid out for him. 
“Here have Elric drink this Elric and Serena both will feel better after it’s been fully ingested,” Edgar said giving it to Dante. “My brother will be fine given you merge with him and ensure he rests fully. Teleporting such unstable mana will have taken a toll on him.”

Dante shook his head and thought I’m not sure that’s all it is. Dr Bane sent a report about these walking dead. When we get there I’ll look it up and see what I can find. But therapy is a high yes

When they landed Serena fell to her knees and Dante cursed. “His going to be pisswd but alright” he moved over and touched Hammond to fuse. Serena looked at Edgar and smiled weakly. “Hey doc…what’s up?”

Hammond grunted and groaned in pain as Dante pulled him into his body covering their body in an impressive suit of metal as mana radiated off them a cloak of feathers wrapped around Dante finally as Hammond settled around his partner. 

“Hm yes, he will be upset but transferring corrupted mana like Elric’s through his shadows would make him sick if he did not merge with you immediately after exiting the portal. Now he will be fine and will live if not uncomfortably for a while, yes. Two maybe three days before complete inoculation. Enjoy time together take him to movie yes,” Edgar said then turned his attention to Serena and Elric and rapidly knelt down to look her in the eyes revealing he had heterochromia and shoved the sports bottle in her face. “Get your partner to drink this will not feel good. But will help but dangerous many branches twisting and roiling cannot protect you both with my sight from here on. But better will be stronger and be salvation when the come yes. Now feed him like baby yes,” he said pushing the bottle into Serena’s hand. As an oracle Edgar looked and interacted with the world in strange ways as he was always keeping one eye in the present and one on the future especially when it came to those he cared about like his adopted nephew. 
Then he began to look at Dante and his brother looking him over critically. 
“Hm, wound tight need to relax go on date. Yes date would be good for both of you yes,” he said nodding. Then began to rummage in a large messenger bag he had at his side. “Teddy bear, umbrella, ah yes here it is tickets to band both of you will like,” he said offering two tickets to the siren sisters. “Hm originally planned for it to be anniversary present. Hm maybe take children?” Edgar paused a moment before strongly shaking his head, “no dangerous very dangerous yes. Go with just my brother leave kids at home with Ba… no… will need to check on them with my own partner.” Then shook his head before looking at Dante again his heterochromatic eyes rapidly flicking different colors making Edgar dizzy and he had to stop a moment and just breath.

Dante blinked and asked “do you know your brother? More the likely he will be looking over my shoulder while I work at the office…”

Serena nodded, not fully understanding him but she moved to Elric and put the bottle in his mouth and started to get him to drink the liquid slowly. 

Dante sighed and said “Hammond won’t relax until he knows these two are alright. So let’s start there. And can I reach Doctor Bane from your office?”

“I know my brother but I also know you Dante if you tell him truly tell him to calm down and take action to help then he will settle down. Because if he gets too wound up he will start to fight the merge and that will only cause pain to the both of you. So take care Dante and yes the service in my office is excellent,” he said then turned towards Elric and Serena. 

Elric turned his head and he began coughing and grimacing in pain and let out a low miserable groan as his stomach started to hurt and that thick liquid coated his throat and seemed to squirm down his throat like he’d swallowed a bug. 

Serena sighed and said “easy partner…just swallow and get it over with then it will be over…” 

Dante nodded and moved to the office and moved to the computer. He tapped the key board and said “hammond? You awake enough to listen in on this?” He was calling Bane, the doctor at the area of Serena’s last station. “Maybe we will find your other son with him…”

Elric leaned back and looked up at Serena weakly before looking to what she was feeding him then recoiled a bit when he saw it actually move of its own volition then came the nausea again making him grimace and gasp in pain. Before the bottle was moved to go back into his mouth with the aid of Edgar tilting Serena’s elbow up. 
“He’s not gonna like this but like I said it’s necessary, and can’t be stopped right now or it’ll just hurt,” he said. 

Hammond roused within Dante weakly and sighed, “I’m awake… not happy about the sensation I’m experiencing right now but. I can try to manage it.”

Serena nodded and tipped the bottle more. “Just close you eyes and swallow like the beds they gave us before going over seas my friend…” Serena closed her eyes with him, now clearly feeling the strain. 

Dante nodded and the call connected and a video screen popped up and Bane was working on paper work and looked up. “General? Director? I see it’s bad day for ya…what can I do for you?” Dante nodded and said “what can you tell us about Serena Shade?” Bane frowned and said “what did she do?” Dante sighed and said “she became A reaper…” bane stared and cursed softly. “Well…maybe that’s the cure of the walking Dead…”

Elric didn’t like this but could see the strain on Serena’s face so he didn’t fight her though his body did protest. Eventually the bottle was empty and Edgar gently took it from Serena and moved both of them to the mattress Hammond had previously collapsed onto and laid them down. He gave Elric the teddy bear to clutch as he knew he’d need something to hold tight as what happened next was going to hurt. Then he unfurled a large blanket and wrapped it around them gently tucking the two in. 
“Now you should both rest regain some strength yes,” Edgar said smiling before leaving to go check on Dante and Hammond. 

“I have heard about the walking dead and as ashamed as I am to admit it I still don’t understand the full implications of what the walking dead does or what the cause is. You said Serena contracted it when she was over seas was it being carried by one of the beasts that come from the portals? Or was it caused by mental trauma,” Hammond asked. “Also what sort of affects we can expect so see when it comes to being a reaper to a grim.”

Serena laid down but knew rest wasn’t coming tonight. She was wired now and the pressure of what she had done was hitting her. She rubbed her face and muttered “crap…what did I get you into Elric…”

Bane held up a hand and said “so it’s what we hav been calling those whose hearts stop near a portal or stain a bad enough injury it causes the body to be in high distress. Because every time it’s happened and the person is in a blacked out state…they don’t wake up the same. Most of the time with wake up in the medbay and seem…soulless. I’m not sure why it happens and I’m working on it, lucky it’s only happened five times but…During the attack that killed Serena’s squad, in her efforts to protect the grim squad she used such an amount of mana that plus her injuries her heart stopped. Elrics brother found her in time and restarted it but she did t wake until back at base. She has seemed better then others but…she’s not the same. It’s like she’s a guard dog with no self defense. She is all about her comrades and those she protects but….could care less about her own life. And the crazy thing is she’s not meaning to do it. It’s subconscious when it happens. It’s why I recommended sending her home…she’s not safe alone out here…but now that another life is dependent on hers…maybe it will break it. She needs therapy. Major PSTD is in play…it’s the worse I’ve seen outside a grim station”

Elric tensed up as he slept trembling with pain as his stomach churned around what he’d been forced to ingest. There was even an audible gurgle as his body protested then his form shifted turning fully skeletal and tendrils began to wrap in between bones making him tense and cry out in pain as a slimy monster moved around his bones. His arms clutching tight to the teddy bear as he cried in pain as the tendrils sunk into his bones and marrow. 

“Hm I suppose they are a good matching more so than before. They truly do need each other, I just wish that it won’t kill them both,” Hammond said with a deeply troubled sigh. 
Then came the sounds of a woman screaming, “you did WHAT!” Hammond always the curious sort raised a hand for Bane to give him a minute as he used his shadows to eavesdrop on what was going on outside seeing it was his brother and his partner project head of Group Vaisilia. “I told you that my project was nowhere near ready for application especially for a case as advanced as his son your nephew. What in the world were you thinking? especially using G0E1 no less. What has gotten into you? What happened to consulting me when it comes to acting upon your visions.” Edgar shuffled nervously and rubbed his shoulder bashfully. “There was no time and G0E1 was who was needed none of the others would be able to survive what comes next.” Vasilia looked genuinely confused, “these creatures aren’t sentient why do you keep on insisting on using who or they to address it?” Edgar looked more than a bit frustrated before looking away not wanting to go into the details unfortunately for both Hammond and Vasilia. Hammond dismissed the small portal of shadows and looked back at Bane. 
“Looks like I’m gonna need your help monitoring something rather soon. How quickly can you fly back home,” Hammond asked. 

Serena sat up and moved in front of him, moving her hand out to the black mass. “Hey there…I’m Serena…it’s okay…just breath…I know your here to help…”

Bane sighed and rubbed his tired eyes and said “I’ll take the flight next. Do you want me to bring your other son and his partner with me in case Elric needs them? His brother was at the attack…maybe he can tell us more what happened to Serena”

The creature slithered around Serena’s hand then up her forearm before slowly retreating back down to Elric to continue the melding process. Elric woke to pain and the feeling of being tied down on instinct he began to thrash trying to get whatever was happening to stop and he cried out when the creature jerked inside him as gravity pulled it away from his bones which were still covered in hairline cracks. Elric sobbed from the pain the creature having stopped moving being frightened it’d caused damage to its patient. 

“No I cannot be selfish in this moment, calling on you is selfish as it is. The dead zone cannot afford to loose their best doctor and a brigadier general as accomplished as Teddy all at the same time. Frankly if you could send a list of local doctors you find competent enough to watch this particular case that would be perfect as well. It’s just this is rather delicate seeing as the grim has blight and  the reaper is a walking dead. I don’t think the military has ever had a case similar to this before,” Hammond said with a deep sigh. 

Upon hearing Elric cry out in pain poppa bird mode activated and Hammond shot to his feet and ran down the hall way. Upon arrival he was met with something out of one of those horror films he hated that Dante made him watch. Usually this was the moment to keep a calm head and Hammond would be the stable one but this was his boy and rational Hammond had flown the coop as he went to rip the damn thing off his son. 

Serena moved to his face and said “shhh it’s okay. I know it hurts and as scary as heck but it’s helping. Just hold my hand and just let it do the job…”

Bane heard the yelling and said “I’m coming sir. Keep them alive till I get there” he logged off as Hammond ran off. Dante grabbed him and yanked him back, holding his partner back. “Stop it. This isn’t helping him. That is. Let Serena do this…she has the right idea let her help him…you know doing this hurts so please don’t make me fight back”

Hammond snarled at Dante angrily eyes glowing gold but his partner was right he felt like he was gonna puke and also like he was splitting himself in two.
“Dammit! Alright alright I’m good, ugh that did not feel good,” Hammond said resting a hand over their shared core. “Thanks… for calming me down,” he said crossing his arms then mumbled low under his breath barely even above a whisper, “love you.”

Elric looked at Serena tears in his eyes as he looked at her face his hand gently grabbing hers. The slime had stayed still until he calmed back down again. Before slowly and delicately moving around him again being careful not to approach the main wound just yet as if knowing that would be the most painful part of this entire process. So continued filling the hairline cracks making Elric let out a slight hiss as it hurt. Eventually all that remained untouched by the slime was Elric’s head and the original infected wound. It moved Elric’s hand gently away from Serena making Elric audibly whimper and cower but if Serena was touching him in that moment they would shatter her hand. 

Dante smirked and said “I love you more…let’s just let the good work play out and see how it goes…if it goes bad then you can lose your crap and I won’t hold you back”

Serena let go so she moved her hand to his face and said “breath…just in and out. It’s healing the infection…like a wound needing rough cleaning. Hurts like heck but needed to heal right…just look at me and breath…” Serana was using the skills her mother had taught her but she was pale now and shaking. Stress and drain was piling on 

Hammond blushed turning his head as if that would hide it. Then turned back to watching finally noticing Serena’s worsening condition he moved towards her and knelt beside her. Then gently rested a hand upon her shoulder and channeled a steady stream of his shared strength with Dante to her. 
“We can’t have you blacking out on him Serena he needs you awake and here for him. If you black out he will panic so you need to take care of yourself if you are to take care of him properly. You have his heart so you need to protect it,” Hammond said softly yet firmly. 
The hope was that by appealing to the fact that Elric needed her awake and healthy that the illness would latch onto that and she’d accept his help. 

Elric’s breathing was shaky at first as he was scared though nodded when he nodded the smile moved into the wound sending searing white hot pain roaring through his body making him scream again in agony, but soon the pain began to ebb to a dull throb before finally vanishing. Making Elric blink in surprise he couldn’t remember the last time his chest didn’t ache or sting tears welled in his eyes and he smiled. For the first time in god knows how long he wasn’t in constant pain he didn’t even care when the slime swallowed his head he’ll the thing could have eaten him for all he cared because it didn’t hurt anymore. Eventually Elric fell asleep deeply peacefully the slime slowly moved Elric’s hand to Serena’s and gave it a light squeeze in order to show its gratitude towards her helping to keep Elric calm. 

Serana nodded softly and said “understood sir…I’ll do my best…I promise I’ll try…” when the slime was done she smiled and said “thank you little one…cute little thing aren’t you…call me if you need me while he sleeps okay?” She moved her hand back and sighed. 

Dante said “remember Hammond, she can’t help it if she takes hits. We can’t blow up at her while we figure this out…” Serena moved back a little and said weakly “should we…move him? To a room or…” she stopped, lowering her head for a few moments. She felt the power from Dante/Hammond but she hadn’t really taken care of herself since traveling and it showed. 

Hammond just smiled at both Dante and Serena before gently moving to rest a gentle loving hand to the nape of her neck. Using his power over the mind he gently whispered, “sweet dreams Serena.” Then lulled her into a deep dreamless sleep before carefully scooping her up and grunted as he formed to more arms to pick up Elric. It hurt him a great deal doing this but he would be a pretty terrible dad if he just let his kids sleep on the floor of a college even if there was a mattress here. Using his magic he teleported them to his large house and walked to his guest room where he carefully laid Serena and Elric next to one another not wishing to keep grim and their reaper apart. Once he was finished carefully tucking the two of them in he turned and left the room. Then stumbled his armor gently clattering against each other as he panted from the overexertion. Slowly he stood and made his way to his room and collapsed and began dry heaving. 
“Shit,” Hammond said grimacing. 
This entire time his body had been trying to reject the merge with Dante just as it always was. No matter how used to it he thought he was there was still that subconscious part that’d always fight against him. 
“Damn, sorry I’m not trying to fight. I don’t know why my body always fights it but it does,” Hammond said grimacing “I made it worse by expending all that extra energy. I also would never blame Serena for taking hits. I would mostly just be frustrated if I couldn’t do something to help.”

Serena felt his hand and turned to look at him before the wave hit and she fell against his arm, her mind for the first time in months going quiet. 

Back at the house Dante was panting as Hammond over did it, feeling all of it as well. He was cursing softly and said weakly “let me…do it next time…not as…painful ah…” Dante flinched pain and added “I know…we just have to remind each other not to think she’s doing it on purpose…Banw will be able to…help…dang it…”

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