Chapter Text
A nurse stopped by a little while later to let them see Scratchy. "He was just a big banged up from the wreck, but he'll pull through." She reassured them as they were led through the halls.
Yakko hesitated at the door when the nurse stopped. What would Scratchy say to him being alive? What would he think? He had been alive while Scratchy had been looking after his siblings.
Sensing his reluctance, Wakko and Dot grabbed his hands. "C'mon, he's missed you too." Dot said, pulling on his hand.
Yakko took a very deep breath before allowing his siblings to lead him into the room. Scratchy was in a hospital bed hooked up to a few monitors with some bandages on his head and arms.
The instant Scratchy looked at Yakko, his eyes widened and started filling with tears. "Iz it really you?"
"Yeah, it's me Scratchy." The teen gave a weak smile.
"How? All zis time, und… You look…"
"I know. I look great, right?" Yakko half joked, trying to lighten the mood.
"Why are you so far away? Come over here so I can see you better." The psychiatrist sat up in bed a bit more as Yakko stepped forward. Once he was in arms reach, Scratchy pulled him into a hug.
Wakko and Dot joined in while Slappy watched from the doorway. "How did you survive?" The p-sychiatrist asked after pulling away.
"I had help. Pinky and the Brain, actually. They found me and patched me up." Wakko and Dot glanced at his prosthetic arm, hidden beneath his sleeve.
"Remind me to thank them both when I get out of here."
"Way ahead of you, Scratchy." The teen smiled brightly.
It was officially over. His family was back together, and safe. Buddy couldn't get them anymore. The tower was rebuilt, but after everything that had happened, none of them wanted to go back to living there. So they went to live with Scratchy after he got his house repaired.
One year passed before Yakko told everything to Wakko and Dot. He had taken them back to Warner studios, up to the tower. Their old home. It only seemed fitting to explain his survival in the place where he had almost died. They held onto every word, wincing as he spoke of clawing his way out of the rubble, bloody and half dead. And they burst into tears when he explained waking up with no memories of them. They still cried as he told them of the paternal longing he felt looking at them before he knew who they were.
"... It was like my heart had never forgotten you two." At the statement, he pulled them close.
"Why didn't you tell us when you remembered?" Wakko mumbled.
"I was trying to focus more on keeping things stable. My first priority was, and always will be keeping you two safe. And at the time, you weren't safe. If we had made it to Acme Labs, I would have told you there."
After Yakko finished, the three of them left Warner studios, hand in hand. Together again, as they always were. Things would never be the same of course, but they didn't mind. As long as they had each other, they would be able to withstand anything.