Chapter Eight

Chapter Summary: Desires summons Death. Some deals are made
Warning(s): Spanking, including with a paddle; spoilers for season one of Dead Boy Detectives; spoilers for season one of The Sandman; AU; references to violence; explicit sexual content; some hints of D/s; aftercare
Pairings: The Cat King (Thomas)/Edwin Payne/Monty; Charles Rowland/Crystal Palace (alluded to); Desire/Unity Kincaid (alluded to)
Author's Note: This is the final chapter, finally! A big thank you to everyone who's left kudos and reviewed this fic, as it's been a big help in keeping me working on this fic.
Please enjoy this last chapter!

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Earlier
"No?" the Night Nurse repeated, a note of disbelief in her voice. "What do you mean, no?"

"I don't want you to give me back my emotions," Monty said. "I don't need them. I'm managing quite well without them. And I need to go back to the Dreaming," he added, taking a step back so that he was out of her reach.

"Now I know that's not true." She picked out one of the books and turned to watch him closely. "Emotions are necessary for living things." Giving an almost casual shrug, she added, "And dead things, too. At least dead humans." She stepped closer to him, using one hand to flick through the book she'd collected from the shelf. "It's not going to take long. And it won't hurt." She stopped at one of the pages. "Ah, here we are."

Before he could react in any way, her fingers were pressed against the side of his head. There was a brief burst of light and sound, and then he was pulling away from her, a trickle of warm liquid running down from his nose. "What did you do to me?!" he gasped out.

"I gave you your emotions back," she said. "I've returned them to you, so that you can go back to the Dreaming with as much returned as I can give you." She frowned, her eyes darkening slightly. "I'm sorry that I can't save your life."

"They want me to kill Niko." His mind was racing now, as emotions and thoughts swirled around inside his head.

"Who does?"

"Desire. They want to summon Death. The only way they figured out how...." He swallowed and then coughed as a spasm of pain racked through him.

"You need to sit down." The Night Nurse quickly moved to his side, reaching out and grabbing his arm.

"I don't have time." He straightened up, even though it was difficult, and pulled his arm. Every movement sent pain lancing through him. He wasn't even sure how much time he did have.

"You can't kill her!" the Night Nurse said, reaching out to grasp his arm once more.

"I'm not going to." He looked down at her hand on his arm, then into the Night Nurse's eyes. "You really care about them."

She pulled her hand back, narrowing her eyes and glaring at him. "No, I don't." She took a step back and waved a hand at him. "You'd better not kill Niko," she warned.

He didn't really feel like it, but a tiny smile touched at the corners of his lips, and he resisted the urge to salute her. "I'll keep that in mind." He breathed in deeply and closed his eyes, sending himself fully back into the Dreaming.

###

Now
Edwin was hurtling forward as Monty reversed the blade, but he wasn't fast enough to stop it from piercing through clothing and skin.

Niko stumbled forward and Charles moved to catch her, preventing her from falling to the ground, as blood bloomed on Monty's shirt. He would have fallen to his knees, if Edwin hadn't lurched forward and caught him before he could fall.

"Why?" Edwin whispered, as he carefully lowered the bleeding, mortally wounded man to the floor of the cell. "Why, Monty? I would have helped you...." He could hear the note of anguish in his own voice.

"It was the only way...they would have let you all go," Monty whispered, blood bubbling out of the corner of his mouth, right before the light went out of his eyes.

The cry that was ripped from Edwin's throat was filled with pain and rage and heartbreak. It wasn't the first time he'd seen someone die...and now, as then, all he felt was helpless rage. It wasn't fair. Monty hadn't deserved this. The sheer unfairness of it all, the deaths that had been unnecessary and caused by others, caused an unfamiliar pain to lance through his heart. His hands curled into fists as he rose to his feet, looking for something to take his sudden rage out on.

And then there was the sound of rushing wings and she appeared.

Edwin had never seen Death up close, always fleeing from her when she came to collect the souls who were ready to move on. He didn't expect her to be in the form of a woman not much older than he himself, the look in her eyes gentle and understanding, as she stretched a hand out towards Monty's dead body.

"No!" Edwin moved protectively over Monty's body, arms spread, as if he could hold the other man's spirit inside by sheer will alone. The thought that his actions were foolish came through his mind. After all, Monty's spirit was no longer inside his body. It had flowed free, along with his lifeblood.

Death crouched down opposite Edwin, her face kind and sympathetic. "You need to let him go," she whispered. "He's not in pain anymore."

Edwin opened his mouth...to tell her he'd promised Monty that he had a place with the Dead Boy Detectives, or maybe that it should be Monty's decision if he went with Death or not...but before any words could leave his lips, chains were suddenly wrapped around each of Death's wrists, pulling her violently back against the far wall and holding her there.

"Finally. You make it very hard to get an audience with you, dear sister." The air shimmered, like the way it did above a candle's heat, and a person with golden eyes stalked into view, moving as gracefully and predatorily as a large feline. Their eyes moved over Edwin, still crouched protectively over Monty's body, and then away from him again, dismissing him with a careless shrug of their shoulders before continuing to move towards Death.

Even though she was chained against the wall, Death seemed entirely unconcerned as she eyed the Endless, who had to be Desire. "These chains won't hold me for long."

"Of course they won't." Desire gave a careless shrug. "But how many people will die before you can break free and resume your duties? How many souls will wander the human world, lost and without direction? How much chaos will there be before you can return to your job?"

"What do you want, Desire?" Death asked.

"I want you to bring Unity Kincaid back from the dead," they stated.

A hand came to rest on Edwin's shoulder, and he flinched away from the touch before he looked up, eyes catching the Cat King's. "Thomas...." The older being didn't look to be in the best shape, and probably needed help himself, but Edwin still found himself leaning into him. Here in the Dreaming, he could feel the warmth of Thomas' embrace. "Monty's dead," he whispered, tears filling his eyes.

"I know." Thomas brushed a kiss against his head. "I'm going to see what I can do." He rubbed Edwin's shoulder gently and then stood up, walking over to the two Endless.

Death was speaking, her voice still as calm and gentle, even kind, as it had been when she'd spoken to Edwin. "I can't do that, Desire. Unity took her role as the Vortex back from Rose. You know what would happen if the Vortex lives again. Everything would be destroyed."

"I don't care," Desire stated.

"She still exists," Death pointed out. "Even though she no longer lives, Dream gave her a home, here in the Dreaming." She paused, tilting her head to one side, and asked, "Haven't you tried to see her? To talk with her? To ask her what she wants?"

"Unity doesn't want to see Desire." Dream's form came into view, appearing standing between his two siblings. "Desire used her. Took advantage of her." His eyes moved over the form of his sibling as he added, "Forcing our sister to bring her back to life isn't going to change how she feels about you."

Desire's mouth twisted and they turned away, looking towards Edwin and Monty's body without seeming to see either of them. "She shouldn't be here in this realm. She shouldn't be in your realm." They looked at Dream and took a step closer to him. "I gave her a life, while she slept. A family, a home. She should have been happy." A note of confusion crept into their voice as they asked, "Why wouldn't she want to see me?"

"Maybe because her whole life with you was a lie, despite your feelings for her being real?" Despite the pain and weakness he had to be feeling, Thomas managed to stand up tall and straight. "She woke up from the sleeping sickness and found that her whole life had been nothing but a dream. Can you really blame her for not wanting to be reminded of that by you?"

Death glanced at him and then inclined her head slightly; a greeting, or perhaps an acknowledgement. "Cat King. Your majesty. I'm surprised to see you here," she said.

"Desire captured him and brought him here, so they could further their own goals," Dream said.

"I'm not the only one who's been affected by this." Thomas gestured towards Monty, who Edwin was still holding onto. "Desire wanted to summon you. They took advantage of the young man whose death summoned you. He was dying after the spell had been cast to turn him human, and Desire manipulated him to take his own life." He paused, his breath hitching slightly with pain as he said, "None of them should have been brought into this."

Death looked at him. "I recognise that tone of voice. What do you want?"

Wincing slightly, as if each movement pained him, Thomas reached out and placed a finger on each of the chains. Under his touch, they dissolved into liquid metal, falling into silver puddles onto the floor before they melted away.

Death straightened, looking into Thomas' eyes as she asked again, "What do you want?"

"I ask for life." Thomas' voice was clear, ringing like a bell in the abrupt silence.

Tears frozen on his cheeks, Edwin stared at Thomas' back. The words sounded almost ritualistic, but they didn't spark any hint of recognition within him. He was still holding onto Monty's body, as if he could hold the other man's spirit within his dead body. It wasn't possible, couldn't be possible, but he hadn't seen Monty's spirit yet...and that gave him a tiny slither of hope.

There was movement next to him, and Edwin looked at Charles, who wrapped an arm around him and hugged him close. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

"Niko?" Edwin couldn't look away from Monty's body, worried that he would lose what little control he still had over himself.

"I'm here," she whispered from his other side.

Edwin relaxed a fraction, but he couldn't relax too much, as he was still holding onto Monty and still had an ache in his chest. He was a ghost and didn't have a heart anymore, but if he'd had one...it would have been aching.

"I don't do that," Death said. "My job is to guide souls on to their afterlife. To where the next step on their journey is."

"Hob Gadling," Thomas said simply.

Death darted a look towards Dream, quick and sharp, before looking to Thomas once more. "How did you hear that name?"

"I have ways of collecting information," Thomas said. "The point is that I know you've done it before. I'm asking you to do it again. Three times over."

"What does he mean, three?" Charles hissed in Edwin's ear.

"I don't know." Edwin's eyes were fixed on them: the three Endless and the Cat King. It sounded like Thomas was trying to make a deal...strike a bargain. For Monty's life? Swallowing, Edwin hugged the body he held a bit tighter and whispered to Monty's spirit, wherever it was, "I'm sorry."

There was no response, and Edwin wondered if Monty's spirit was trapped somewhere in the Dreaming, since he hadn't died in the human world. If he was trapped somewhere, Edwin voiced a silent promise to Monty that he wouldn't rest until he'd found him.

"You can't do that," Desire said. "You have to bring Unity Kincaid back to life. Not a witch's familiar and...." They bit off whatever words they were going to say next.

"Do you even know what she wants?" Dream asked.

"Of course not!" Desire almost spat the words. "I can't see her. You won't let me."

Dream glanced at Death, then back at Desire, before shaking his head. He placed a hand on the wall and it faded from view, opening up to show a bright green field filled with flowers of all kinds. Stepping back from the gateway he'd just created, he waved a hand towards it. "I've given you the path. But you'll need to persuade her to talk to you."

Desire frowned, glancing at the doorway and then at Dream. "How do I know you're not just trying to get rid of me?"

There was a flicker in Dream's eyes...amusement, perhaps? It was gone before Edwin could identify it, and the Endless was saying gravely, "I don't believe it is possible just to get rid of you, my sibling, even if I wanted to."

Desire glanced at his face, as if trying to see if Dream was lying to them or not. They finally seemed to decide to believe them, as they stepped through the doorway...which closed behind them.

"It's not as simple as the situation with Hob," Death said, as soon as Desire was gone. "For one thing, the materials are gone...."

"There's more than enough here in the Dreaming, isn't there?" Thomas asked.

"Have you been making deals behind my back?" Death asked Dream.

Dream didn't answer that question. Instead, he said, "He's not wrong. There are plenty of materials here." He turned to Thomas, adding, "But the materials aren't the only thing that are needed. You know that, don't you?"

"If you want to save a life, you have to give a life in return," Death said.

Thomas looked back over his shoulder at Edwin, making eye contact with him. "It's going to be okay." The words were soft, but still carried easily to Edwin's ears. He then turned back to Death and Desire and said, quietly, "I'm the Cat King. I started out with nine lives. I have enough left for this. I'm not asking for immortality," he added. "Just a normal human life."

Edwin watched the two Endless closely. Dream seemed open to agreeing...Death less so, but she was listening. His gaze dropped to Monty's pale face, and he stroked some of the dark hair, avoiding the blood that stained his pale skin. "Thomas is trying to save you," he whispered.

###

Thomas is trying to save you.

The words echoed through Monty's head, drawing him up out of the darkness. They were a lifeline he could cling to, following them up into the light.

Finally, he opened his eyes, staring up at a white ceiling. There was something soft under him; a mattress, that was slightly bouncy under him. He slowly pushed himself up, wincing as his neck ached, and allowed himself to look around the room he was now in.

It was a simple bedroom, with a single bed and a chest of drawers next to the bed. There was a large bay window opposite the bed, with pale curtains that were open enough to allow sunlight to come through, warming his face.

Was he still in the Dreaming? Was he dead? The last thing he remembered was stabbing himself in the heart...dying in Edwin's arms. Edwin, who didn't love him...who loved the Cat King...but had still tried to save him; had still offered to stay with him while he died and then allow him to be part of the Dead Boy Detective Agency.

But there was no sign of Edwin. There was no sign of anyone. And he was in a bedroom, not the cell where the Cat King had been held prisoner.

Was this what death was like? Sleeping peacefully, in a large, comfortable bed? He raised a hand to his chest, feeling along where he'd stabbed himself, not that surprised to find there was no blood...no pain...no injury. If he was dead, any pain or weakness would be gone anyway. And if he was still in the Dreaming, then it would be easy to trick his mind into thinking he was healthy and no longer dying.

There were voices from outside the door and Monty tensed up, unable to help it. He didn't have any weapons on him, and there was nothing in the room that he could use as a weapon.

But he had been a witch's familiar. Esther might be gone...most likely dead. (And he pushed aside the faint bit of sadness that thought caused him. He'd made his choice when he'd helped Charles escape his chains). But he still had some access to his magic.

And then the door was opened and Edwin was walking into the room, with Thomas following close on his heels. Thomas looked much healthier than he had done the last time Monty had seen him, with his chest covered and the wounds that had been on his face and hands healed...or at least close to it, as Monty could still see some faint marks lingering if he squinted enough.

Edwin had been talking to Thomas, looking back over his shoulder, but when the Cat King raised his eyebrows and gestured towards Monty, he turned. His eyes widened a fraction, and then he was moving forward, almost lurching towards Monty, wrapping his arms around him tightly. "You're awake." There was a hitch in his voice, and his arms were tight around Monty, almost clinging to him.

Something felt different. Not wrong, exactly, but different. It took Monty a few moments to realise, as he felt warm breath ghosting over his skin and felt Edwin's body shudder where he was pressed so close to him. "You're breathing," he whispered numbly. "I am still in the Dreaming, then." Was this another trick of Desire's? The Endless had managed to hit on Monty's deepest, darkest desire...the one he never would have put voice to...that they were both living, breathing, normal humans.

"You're not in the Dreaming," Thomas said. "None of you are."

"He made a deal." Edwin pulled back enough to look into Monty's eyes. His own were bright and looked suspiciously wet. "I thought he was just trying to bring you back. I didn't realise...." His fingers gripped Monty's shirt a bit tighter, and he looked back over his shoulder at Thomas.

"It's a chance," Thomas said. "A chance to live the full, normal lives each one of you was robbed of, due to circumstances that were outside of your control. But it only worked once. I don't have enough lives left to make another trade."

Monty stared at the Cat King for a few moments. "You brought me back? And...and Edwin?"

"And Charles," Edwin finished for him. "Dream helped. I don't know why." He took a deep breath. "But it worked. We've all been given second chances."

"Niko?" Monty looked between Edwin and Thomas.

"You've been out of it for a while," Thomas said. "She's been brought back here. Woken up. The last person who needed to wake was you."

"It's strange," Edwin said. "The more recent the death, the longer it's taken to wake." His arms were still wrapped tightly around Monty and he took a step nearer, pressing their bodies together, whispering, "I was worried you wouldn't wake up at all."

Thomas stepped further into the room and nudged the door closed with his foot. "How are you feeling?"

"Better than I was," Monty admitted. "But then, I'm not dying anymore. That's got to do wonders for how I'm feeling." He took a moment or two to consider whether he was hungry or thirsty...but perhaps because he'd been unconscious for so long, he didn't feel either of them. He'd likely need to eat and drink later, but that wasn't an immediate concern.

Edwin finally let go of Monty, although that was only to take hold of his hand and guide him over to the bed. "You should sit down."

The tone was gentle, but still sounded like enough of an order that Monty found himself obeying without question. He sat down and then Edwin sat on one side of him, while Thomas sat on the other side. They were almost bracketing him, and Monty thought he should feel trapped rather than how he really felt, which was relieved.

"So." Thomas cleared his throat and placed a hand on Monty's shoulder, fingers gently grasping his neck. "How did you end up stabbing yourself in the heart?"

"It was the quickest way. I figured the less painful one, too, given I didn't have much time left." Monty shrugged and looked down at his hands, one still held by Edwin in a tight, firm grip.

Thomas huffed out a breath that sounded more like a laugh. "Not what I meant, kid. I told you to tell Edwin what was going on. About what Desire wanted from you. If you'd told him, then he would have had all the information he needed to make sure you didn't have to actually stab yourself."

"I was dying anyway," Monty protested. "It wouldn't have made a difference if I stabbed myself, or let the curse run its course. And by taking my own life, I at least knew you all would be safe and allowed to go. That was the deal Desire made with me. They'd let you go, if I did what was needed to summon Death."

"They wanted you to kill Niko." Edwin squeezed Monty's hand.

"In exchange for saving my life." Monty found himself relaxing at both Edwin's hand on his own, and Thomas' fingers on his neck. Warmth radiated out from where both men touched his bare skin and he couldn't help but shift slightly, not used to that kind of touch. He wasn't used to any kind of touch, really. The only time Esther had touched him at all was to cast her spell to turn him human, and then back into a crow...and those touches had been painful. Not warm, soft, comforting.

Thomas' other hand came to rest on Monty's leg, and even though he was wearing trousers...and there was fabric between Thomas' hand and Monty's bare skin...the warmth from his touch still radiated through, almost branding Monty. The Cat King's next words pulled Monty's attention away from the touch, though. "You still should have told Edwin what was going on. Despite the deal you made, or maybe even because of it."

"Did you cut the rope Charles tied to the tree in the forest?" Edwin cut in softly.

Monty blinked, darting a surprised look at Edwin's face. "No, I...I left the forest after Charles went after you and Niko. Not deliberately," he added. "I was focused on staying where I was, so we could all meet up again, and then...." He swallowed hard. "I was in the cell, with Niko, and I had a knife with me and I...I knew I didn't have any other choice. I had to act. And I couldn't kill Niko. You'd been hurt enough when you thought Esther killed her."

Thomas nodded slowly. "Then you did have your emotions returned to you. I thought you must have, if you chose to stab yourself instead of Niko."

"Yes." Monty felt his cheeks grow hot as he said, "I'm sorry I lied to you. When I came back here, the Night Nurse did return my emotions to me. With them back...I knew I couldn't hurt Niko. To fulfil the deal with Desire, there was only one thing I could do."

Thomas squeezed Monty's leg and exchanged a glance with Edwin, then released Monty's leg.

Monty had maybe a second or two to feel bereft of the touch, and then Thomas was taking his free hand, giving it a gentle tug.

The touch was light and would be easy to break, but Monty found himself following the movement. He followed the way Thomas pulled him, even as Thomas guided him into position across his lap, moving back far enough against the wall to allow Monty to settle with his upper body supported by the bed.

Edwin moved to sit on Thomas' other side, shifting so that Monty's head was resting in his lap. His fingers gently stroked through Monty's hair, petting him like he was one of the Cat King's subjects.

"Seriously, a spanking?" Monty muttered, though there was no heat in his voice. "I'm not a child."

"It's 2024," Thomas murmured. "Spankings are used more on wayward, unruly adults...or teenagers...than they are on children now." His hand stroked down Monty's spine, leaving a trail of heat behind, before he slipped his fingers in the waistband of Monty's trousers and peeled them down.

A tiny whimper escaped Monty's lips as the loss of his trousers was followed by the loss of his underwear, and his face heated as he felt vulnerable...exposed to the punishment that was about to follow.

The first crack of bare skin to bare skin sounded abnormally loud in the silence that had fallen in the room. Monty winced as pain blossomed on his right cheek and he couldn't help the sharp gasp that escaped his lips at the intense sting. It hurt, far more than he was expecting it to...and then a second and third swat landed just below the first and he drew his breath in sharply.

Edwin caught the hand that Monty hadn't even realised he was preparing to throw back over his backside, to try and stop the relentless smacks from landing on his bottom. He'd had pain before, especially recently, but there was something about the relentless, repetitive smacks that quickly threatened to break him.

It took only a few moments of the swats for Monty's entire backside to start stinging. In spite of himself, in spite of his determination to take what Thomas (and Edwin too, he assumed) had decided he deserved, Monty quickly began shifting and squirming, trying to get his backside out of the range of fire.

Thomas paused in the spanking, but it was only for long enough for him to wrap his arm around Monty's waist, drawing him tight against his stomach, before he resumed swatting, focusing more smacks to Monty's sit spots and the tops of his thighs.

As the tears began to roll down Monty's cheeks, Thomas gentled the swats a little...as if he could sense that Monty was near his breaking point. But then he began to speak, using the swats as an emphasis for what he was saying. "You should never have put yourself in that kind of danger, Monty. It wasn't your responsibility to make a deal with Desire to save everyone. If you'd told me the full story, if you'd told Edwin the full story, then you could have acted as a go-between. You could have passed messages back and forth between the two of us, instead of trying to do everything on your own."

"I...I didn't think about that." Monty's breath hitched slightly as he felt the first pricklings of shame. "I just wanted...to make sure you could be set free. Before you died."

The thumb of Edwin's free hand stroked Monty's cheeks, wiping away his tears. "You were dying," he whispered, his voice hitching slightly. "Why do you think you could die, but not for Thomas?" There was a note of very real pain in his voice.

Monty shifted slightly, more tears rolling down his cheeks, even as he whispered, "I didn't want to die...but if it came to a choice between me or Thomas, I thought the answer was obvious."

Edwin was silent for a few moments, and when Monty chanced a look into his face, he could see a slightly grim set to Edwin's jaw. Edwin wasn't looking at him, though. His attention was focused on Thomas, who'd stopped spanking by this point.

Thomas gave one of Monty's legs a firm pat, avoiding the freshly-spanked skin. "Okay, get up."

Giving his eyes a quick swipe, Monty slowly pushed himself to his feet. He might have reached back to pull his clothing back into place, but something in Edwin's eyes...in Thomas' body language...indicated that the punishment wasn't over. Monty didn't know why. After all, he'd only told the truth.

Thomas placed a hand on Edwin's shoulder and leaned in close to his ear, whispering something that was too quiet for Monty to hear. Whatever he said, Edwin nodded to it and stood up, swapping places with Thomas. Then, he looked at Monty and directed quietly, "Get back into position."

Monty couldn't stop the slight whimper that escaped his lips, but he didn't voice an argument. Instead, he lowered himself into position once more...this time across Edwin's lap, with his upper body now resting on Thomas'.

Thomas stroked his fingers through Monty's hair, then gripped his hands and held them tight.

Edwin ran a hand down Monty's back, rubbing it lightly for a few seconds, before he lifted his hand and brought it down in a firm smack at the crest of Monty's right buttock, before delivering a matching swat to the other side.

Monty couldn't help the soft yelp that escaped his lips when the spanking started up again. The brief pause somehow made Edwin's smacks hurt worse, and within a few moments, he began to jerk his legs...almost kicking, but not quite. "I don't know what you want from me!" he burst out, more tears falling down his cheeks.

"Kid...you were prepared to sacrifice yourself for my sake. You just admitted that you thought your life was less important." Thomas cupped Monty's chin, thumb stroking over his lips. "You didn't see how much it affected Edwin, how much it hurt, when you died in his arms."

"I don't...." Monty shook his head.

Edwin paused in the spanking, hand resting on Monty's stinging, burning bottom and rubbing it gently. "Sacrificing yourself wasn't acceptable behaviour, Monty. Didn't you understand that I cared about you? I know that things were complicated the first time you were turned human. They still are complicated...at least a bit. But I don't want you to die," he whispered, his voice breaking.

Careful not to dislodge Thomas' hand from his face, Monty turned his head enough to look at Edwin's face...into his eyes. When he saw the tears in Edwin's own eyes, a couple actually escaping and falling down his cheeks, his heart sank in his chest and he swallowed hard. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I...I never thought it would hurt you. I never thought you'd care that much." His body, which had still been shifting and twisting over Edwin's lap, slumped submissively as more tears slipped down his cheeks, a sob catching in his throat.

"You were wrong," Edwin whispered. "I care. So much." He lifted his hand and began to deliver another series of smacks.

All resistance had seeped out of Monty now, and he only shuddered a little as Edwin delivered the final smacks to his sit spots and the tops of his thighs. Then, he felt himself being shifted and moved, until he found himself sitting on Thomas' lap, the Cat King's arms wrapped around his waist, while Edwin embraced him from the other side and pressed a kiss to the side of his head.

"I'm sorry," Monty whispered, swallowing back his tears and letting his head rest gently against Thomas' shoulder. Edwin's fingers were stroking through his hair now, petting him once again. Monty thought maybe he should pull away from the touch, but really, it felt too good to put a stop to.

Edwin leaned in, clasping the side of Monty's face, and pressed a light, tender kiss to his lips.

Monty's breath caught in his throat at the gentle pressure of lips against his. Unlike the first time, he could taste Edwin's breath as it wafted over his lips...warm and soft and sweet.

When Edwin pulled back from the kiss, he kept his hand on Monty's face, still cupping his cheek. "I'm sorry," he whispered in return. Monty's face must have shown his confusion, because Edwin continued speaking. "If I'd been honest about how I felt about you, how I feel about you, maybe you wouldn't have thought your life was worth less."

"I'm not sure it would have made much of a difference," Monty whispered, his voice still a little hoarse. "Even if you had told me, I was still dying. And I'd only just had my emotions returned to me." He wiped at his eyes, careful not to dislodge Edwin's hand from his face. "I don't think any of this was your fault."

"Here." Thomas was holding a glass of water against Monty's lips, stroking a hand through his hair as he directed, "Drink this. It'll help."

Monty took a sip, then found himself quickly gulping down the rest of the water. He would have drunk quickly enough to make himself choke, if Thomas hadn't kept a careful hold of the glass and made sure the flow wasn't too much.

"Good boy," Thomas murmured, once the glass was empty.

A warm heat pooled in Monty's stomach at the praise and he felt his face flush, suddenly very aware that he was sitting on Thomas' lap, pressed close to the Cat King. He was fairly sure the older being would be able to feel his body's reaction to the close proximity and he shifted slightly, preparing to pull away.

"Monty." Edwin's hand dropped to his shoulder and gripped him tight.

Monty tensed a little, but couldn't bring himself to pull away. To his shame, his body was still responding, and he squirmed in an attempt to hide it. "I shouldn't be taking up your time. I should let you be with each other. Now that Edwin's actually alive...."

"Monty..." Edwin began.

Thomas didn't say anything. Instead, he put the glass down, gripped Monty's chin, and kissed him firmly.

Monty's eyes widened a fraction, but he found himself reciprocating...returning the kiss. Unlike the time he'd kissed Thomas, they were both at full strength...neither bound, or a prisoner. And this time, Monty could taste the kiss fully.

Where Edwin's kiss had been sweet and light, Thomas' was hard and rich...like red wine Monty had risked trying once while he'd been human. He thought he should hold himself stiff and distant, but his body had other ideas, and he found himself pressing into Thomas, letting out a needy whimper.

While Thomas had his lips captured, Edwin pressed a kiss to Monty's neck, sending a shiver down his spine. The next moments, he felt hands on him...sliding up under his shirt to squeeze and caress bare skin. One hand on his back, the other on his chest. The one on his chest seemed bolder...more sure...and reached up to tweak first one nipple and then the other, drawing a tiny whimper from Monty's lips that was swallowed up by Thomas' lips.

He wasn't sure exactly how it happened, but after only mere seconds, his shirt and trousers had been removed, along with his underwear, leaving him completely bare and exposed and vulnerable. Monty shivered, though he wasn't cold. The hands on his body radiated warmth that spread through his entire body, and he shifted to encourage more of the touch...in more intimate, sensitive places.

When Thomas finally broke the kiss, Monty found himself almost panting for breath, his lips feeling swollen and his eyes heavy. He looked at Thomas and then at Edwin, trying to focus. There was something he had to ask. Something he needed to know.

"Monty." Thomas' hand touched his cheek, thumb stroking along his lips.

Blinking rapidly several times, Monty finally managed to focus on Thomas' face. "Do I need to tell you something else?" Had Thomas or Edwin asked him a question? He couldn't remember.

"I thought we might need to talk about what's happening here." Edwin squeezed one of his hands. "Before things go any further, I mean."

"Okay." Monty shifted slightly, taking deep and shallow breaths in an attempt to calm his arousal. "Okay," he repeated, once he thought he had more control over himself. "What are we talking about?"

"I know what my reputation says," Thomas said. "But when I've been in a relationship with someone, I've stayed faithful to them. While you were resting, Edwin and I talked. We're in a relationship. But we both have feelings for you."

"I love you both." Edwin whispered the words like they were a confession. Maybe they were. He still had hold of one of Monty's hands and now, he reached out to take hold of Thomas'. "That's why Desire targeted us. They knew what I'd been blind to. They used all of us, manipulating our feelings for each other to get what they wanted."

"You love...both of us?" Monty repeated. Maybe his mind was still clouded by arousal, but he wasn't really following what Edwin was saying.

As if in answer, Edwin kissed him again, lightly, and whispered, "I'm sorry I left you behind. When Esther was...gone. I should have made sure you were safe and brought you back here with me."

Monty looked down, a familiar pain slicing through him at the words. "I thought I deserved it," he whispered. "I betrayed you. I pretended to be your friend and I...it didn't matter what I felt. Esther had full control over me. But how I felt about you...that was all real."

"I know. I know, Monty. And I'm sorry." Edwin wrapped his arms around Monty, holding him close and tight. "I'm not going to leave you again," he promised. "You belong here. You have a place here, with me...with us...if you'll take it?" For the first time, a note of uncertainty crept into his voice.

"I want to be with you..." Monty said uncertainly, not sure if he was allowed to want that. Maybe it would be snatched away from him. Maybe he'd be forced back into the form of a crow, cursed to watch and remember...but never allowed to be with the ones he loved.

"You're human now," Thomas said, just as if he could hear Monty's thoughts.

"Human?" Monty's eyes darted to Thomas' face. "I'll...never have to go back to being a crow? I won't have to leave either of you?"

"You're human," Thomas confirmed. "Fully human. Just like Edwin. And Charles."

"What did it cost you?" Monty asked uncertainly.

Thomas smiled, but it couldn't exactly be called a happy one. It was peaceful, though. "It didn't cost me anything that I wasn't prepared to give up."

"So I can be with you? Be with both of you?" Monty looked between Edwin and Thomas. "I won't ever have to leave? I won't be taken away?"

"Never," Thomas promised.

"Never." Edwin's smile was tender.

"Okay." Monty found himself relaxing. Being this close to both men was soothing, even despite the arousal he could still feel. But maybe that wasn't such a bad thing, if Edwin and Thomas were telling him they both wanted to be with him. "Do we need to talk about anything else?" he asked.

"One more thing," Thomas answered. "I'm a Dominant. In the BDSM sense."

"You mean like in sex?" Monty took a moment or two to absorb that information, then glanced towards Edwin. "What about you?"

"I believe I'm what Thomas has explained is a switch," Edwin said. "I can be Dominant or submissive, depending on the situation. And who I'm submitting to," he added, looking at Thomas with an obviously fond expression.

"Oh." Monty frowned and thought about it...about what both Thomas and Edwin had said, and about how he himself felt. Finally, he spoke. "I don't really feel dominant, not even a little. Maybe I will eventually, once I have the chance to settle into being fully human." He could hear a note of sadness in his own voice and couldn't hold back a wince. It wasn't that he didn't want to be human...but he'd been born a crow, and spent the majority of his life as one. It was hard to think about the fact he'd never be able to return to his original form.

"Was the price for becoming a real boy too much to pay?" Thomas' question broke into Monty's thoughts.

"No. No," Monty repeated, trying to sound more confident. "I'm grateful. I truly am. It's just...." He hesitated. "It's harder than I thought to say goodbye to something that was such a big part of me for so long."

"And now we're expecting you to figure out how you feel when you've only just woken after dying." Edwin stroked his fingers through Monty's hair, then leaned in to kiss him. "You should get some rest."

"I've been sleeping...." Monty winced again at the almost fearful note he heard in his own voice. What if he fell asleep again, but didn't wake up?

"You won't be left alone," Thomas promised. "If you go to sleep, I'll still be here. I won't let you go." He brushed a kiss against Monty's forehead.

As if Thomas' words were laced with magic, Monty found himself yawning and his eyelids beginning to droop. The Cat King's arms were warm and comforting and felt like home. But he forced his eyes open to focus blearily on Edwin. Maybe he asked a question. He wasn't sure.

Edwin responded, whether Monty asked out loud or not. "I need to speak to Charles, but Thomas will stay here with you. And I'll come straight back."

"Okay." That's what Monty tried to say, anyway. He quickly lost his battle against sleep and closed his eyes, head dropping against Thomas' shoulder.

###

"You cheated," Edwin whispered, as Monty's gentle snoring began to fill the room.

Thomas shrugged without shifting Monty even a little. "He was fighting to stay awake. I just helped him along a little." His fingers grazed Edwin's waist, leaving a near burning warmth in their wake.

"If you keep touching me like that, I'll have to insist you finish what you started." The touch was ticklish, as well as arousing, and Edwin shifted away from it.

"I take it it's not a good thing you need to talk to Charles about?" Thomas asked.

"No." Edwin looked down, shame pricking at him. "When we were in the forest before we came to you, we were seeing and hearing things that weren't really there. Niko ran off, following something only she could see. I followed her without taking the time to form a plan, or even warning Charles. He promised that we'd talk about it...of course, by talk, he meant spank me for acting in a dangerous, reckless manner. I can't blame him, as if our positions were reversed, I'd be doing the same thing." He sighed. "We haven't had that 'conversation' yet, I think because Charles could see how worried I've been about Monty. Now that I'm certain he's safe, that he's alive, I need to face my reckoning."

Thomas nodded. "I'll see you when Charles has finished what he needs to do. I'll still be here, if Monty does wake up."

"If he does, I think you should try to get some food and water into him." Edwin slipped off the bed, slightly surprised (though relieved) that Thomas didn't scold him for his actions in the Dreaming. "I should have insisted he have something before he fell asleep again," he fretted.

"Edwin. Don't worry about Monty," Thomas said. "I've got him. You go and make things right with Charles."

Edwin lingered for a few seconds, watching Monty to make sure he was still breathing, before he slipped out of the room, gently closing the door behind him with a soft click.

It was still hard, getting used to being solid. He couldn't just walk through the door into Charles' room anymore...but it had taken his body a while to stop automatically walking through walls. He still had multiple bruises to prove it.

Standing outside the door to Charles' room, Edwin raised his hand and knocked.

After a few seconds, the door was opened to reveal Charles standing there. "How's Monty?" he asked immediately.

"He woke up," Edwin said. "We have spoken, the three of us. Myself, Thomas and Monty. He's sleeping again now, but Thomas is staying with him." He paused and then asked, "Is Crystal with you?"

"No. She went out shopping with Niko and the Night Nurse to get more food. Said something about too many mouths to feed." Charles stepped back from the door. "Ready for me to deal with your behaviour in the Dreaming?"

"I'm not sure ready is the right word for it, but I don't wish to put it off any longer." Edwin stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. "I'm sorry I ran after Niko without a word to you, let alone stopping for long enough to formulate a plan."

"Yeah. I believe you're sorry." Charles sighed. "But Edwin, you're the one we all rely on to be calm and levelheaded. I get it, I really do. You were worrying about the Cat King and Monty. But it's even more important that neither of us take any chances. Not now that we have another chance to live."

Edwin could have pointed out that he'd done that before Thomas had made his deal with Death. He could also have pointed out that all of their emotions were running high at that time. Charles had been accusing Monty of lying to them and preparing to betray them, after all. He could even have tried to argue Charles down from whatever his best friend planned to do...but he didn't. Instead, he repeated his apology. "I'm sorry. There is no excuse or reason that is good enough for what I did." He paused and he waited Charls to direct him, either through words or action.

"Okay." Charles walked over to the bed and sat down, his legs slightly apart. "Come here."

This would be the first spanking Edwin was going to receive in a living body. He hoped it would also be his last, although he had to admit that was probably a forlorn hope. Forcing those thoughts aside, he walked slowly to Charles' side and leaned forward, positioning himself across his best friend's lap. He shuffled forward, shifting until he was as comfortable as it was possible to be. Then, he waited.

Charles didn't leave him waiting for long. He pulled and tugged until Edwin's trousers were settled below his knees, then did the same to his underwear.

Edwin wasn't used to feeling cold air waft across his naked skin, and he shivered in response to being bared. He then reached down, closing his fingers around Charles' ankle, and waited.

Even though he'd tried to prepare himself, the first smack of Charles' hand to his bare bottom still caught him by surprise. He drew his breath in sharply, only to release it when Charles delivered a second smack almost on top of the first.

Charles didn't swat in any discernible pattern, but he made sure every inch of Edwin's backside received attention, from the crest down to mid-thigh. Some spots were only swatted once or twice, while others received a series of enthusiastic, hard smacks.

By the time Charles paused, Edwin was breathing heavily, his body shifting slightly, and doing his best to hold back his whimpers.

"Okay, Edwin, before we continue, I want you to tell me exactly why I'm spanking you." Charles' voice was serious, nearly bordering on stern.

Edwin's breath hitched and he blinked rapidly, trying to hold back his tears. It took him a few moments to be able to speak, as he didn't want to break yet. Not when he was certain the spanking wasn't anywhere close to being done.

Charles delivered a harder smack to the undercurve of Edwin's bottom and said sternly, "I'm expecting an answer."

Edwin yelped at the strength of the swat and gripped Charles' ankle a little tighter, so that he didn't try to throw his hand back for protection. "I ran after Niko into the forest, leaving the path and you behind," he whispered. He thought he could guess what the next question would be, and tried to pre-empt it. "It was bad enough to do that when we were both dead, but I know it's even more important that I don't do anything dangerous now that we've both got second chances."

"And I don't want us to get separated again," Charles said. "It was bad enough when you got dragged to Hell, yeah? If you ended up getting yourself killed and turned into a ghost again, I'd just have to make sure I died right along with you."

"Charles, you can't do that." Edwin twisted round to stare at his best friend. "You cannot get yourself killed if I'm ever foolish enough to lose my own life."

"Yeah? Then you'd better make sure you don't do something like that again." Charles reached behind him and picked up a smooth wooden paddle.

Edwin's bottom was already throbbing from the warmup spanking Charles had given him, but he couldn't really fault his best friend. He was only sorry that Charles felt it was necessary to use an implement. Looking away, he whispered again, "I'm sorry."

Charles didn't say anything...probably because there was nothing else to say. Instead, he placed a hand on Edwin's back, pushing down gently, before he delivered the first strike with the paddle.

The stroke wasn't delivered with much force...at least, Edwin didn't think it was. It stung, especially over freshly spanked skin, but the pain wasn't unbearable.

The second stroke overlapped with the first and this time, Edwin couldn't stop the whimper that escaped his lips. As Charles delivered more strokes of the paddle, Edwin couldn't stop the tears from beginning to flow. It wasn't even the pain of the paddling that hurt so much; he'd had worse pain in the past and hadn't broken. But the emotions brought to the surface were harder to deal with than the physical pain, and he began to sob as the paddle moved a little further down and began to target his sit spots and the tops of his thighs.

After a few more strokes with the paddle, Charles stopped and put the paddle to one side. He began to gently rub Edwin's back, speaking in soft, soothing tones. "It's okay, Edwin. I forgive you. I just don't want to lose you, okay? Especially now that we've both been given second chances at living the lives that were stolen from us."

"I understand." Edwin swiped at his eyes and drew in several deep breaths, trying to calm his tears. Charles' hand on his back was soothing...comforting...and he took a few moments before he carefully pushed himself up off his best friend's lap.

Charles immediately wrapped his arms around Edwin and hugged him close. "Don't get yourself killed, okay?" he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "I'm not going to carry on living without you. I don't care what anyone else has to say about it."

"I understand," Edwin repeated, wrapping his own arms around Charles and hugging tight in return. "And I'm sorry I ran into danger without telling you, or giving you the chance to run into the danger right along with me. I promise I won't do it again."

"Okay." Charles hugged him a bit tighter. "You'd better not, or maybe I'll actually give you six of the best with a real cane," he threatened.

It wasn't very clear if Charles was joking or not. Edwin hoped he wasn't; the paddling had been painful enough. Still, he vowed to himself that he'd make sure he didn't do anything like that again...not knowing how much he'd upset his best friend. "I won't do it again," he promised.

"Good. Because I don't want either of us to lose our second chances. Crystal is really happy that I can actually feel her touch now." Charles gave a tiny smile.

"I'm sure she is." Edwin shifted enough to pull his underwear and trousers back into place, wincing as the rough material scraped over his sore bottom.

"I think you're going to have some bruises there," Charles said, a slightly apologetic note slipping into his voice.

"I've had a lot worse than bruises because my best friend loves me too much to let me act in such a dangerous fashion." Edwin hugged Charles a bit tighter. "I really am sorry...but I can't regret everything that happened."

"What about the Cat King? He gave up three of his lives for our sake," Charles said, sounding almost worried. "It's not going to come back to bite us at the worst possible time, is it?"

"I sincerely hope not." Edwin had thought about the possibility, and he'd even asked Thomas about it...but Thomas had told him he didn't need to worry about it, and there'd been no sign he was lying, so Edwin had chosen to believe him.

And as he thought about Thomas, Edwin's mind turned to both him and Monty...and the fact that even though Monty had woken, they still weren't sure if he'd had any permanent or even lasting damage. He looked back over his shoulder at Charles' door.

"You want to go check on him?" Charles asked, following the line of his gaze. 

"Yes." It was second nature for Edwin to answer Charles with honesty. That honesty continued as he said, "But I also want to make sure any rift between us is healed between us."

"Hey." Charles pulled back and looked seriously into Edwin's eyes. "You and me? We're more than okay. No more rift between us. I forgive you. And I love you. Just don't do it again, yeah? I'm not used to you being the one who rushes headlong into the danger, and I can't say I like this change."

"It's a change I'm sure won't become permanent," Edwin said. "But thank you, Charles. It means a lot to me that I have a friend who is willing to step in and hold me accountable for my actions, for my behaviour, especially now." He smiled. "I'm glad I found you all those years ago."

"Yeah? Me too." Charles grinned. He held Edwin for a few more moments, then gave him a gentle push towards the door. "Go and check on Monty. Niko was talking about teaching Crystal and the Night Nurse how to cook later. I might see if she can teach me too."

Edwin nodded. "Considering how many of us are here now, we are going to have to work out how to feed everyone." Though perhaps the Night Nurse wouldn't actually need to eat. She hadn't changed in any way, after all, except that she was perhaps beginning to care about him...but she still tended to be more caustic than not when they spoke. Even so, he'd caught her looking at the door to Monty's room several times, with an odd look on her face.

Shaking his head to clear it, Edwin gave Charles another hug before he released his best friend and took a step back. "I'll go back to Monty and Thomas, but if you need me...."

"I'll know where you are." Charles smiled and pointed towards the door. "I'll see you later."

Edwin nodded and wiped at his eyes, though he knew it was impossible to hide the fact he'd been crying. He wasn't worried about Thomas or even Monty seeing. Thomas would know why he'd been crying...and if the relationship between the three of them progressed how Edwin wanted it to, Monty was likely to learn how things were...if he hadn't figured them out already.

Slipping out of the room, Edwin pulled the door closed and then turned round, eyes widening a fraction as he saw the Night Nurse standing a few feet away, hovering near the door to Monty's room. "Can I help you?" he asked.

She turned away from the door, not looking surprised to see him...though maybe she was just hiding it well. "How is he?" she asked. "Monty, I mean?"

Edwin gave her a tiny smile. "He woke up for a little while. He's alive. He's human. The outcome was a better one than I could have ever expected." He hesitated briefly before saying, "Thank you. I understand you were the one who returned his emotions to him."

She just nodded, though there was a slightly distant look on her face. After a moment, she said, "I was hoping I might be able to see him before I leave. To make sure he truly is fully healed."

"Leave?" Edwin frowned, picking up on her choice of word. "You're going to leave now?"

"I don't need to stay," she said. "None of you are ghosts anymore. You don't belong in the afterlife, unless you get yourselves killed in this life again. So I'm not needed here any longer."

Was that a hint of sadness on her face? Edwin wasn't sure, but he'd been thinking...while he'd been waiting for Monty to wake up. While he'd been hoping and praying to a God he wasn't sure he believed in anymore to save Monty's life. He'd been thinking, and he'd been researching...planning...because that was what he did. "You don't have to leave," he said out loud. "Despite how long we have been alive for, none of us are over eighteen physically...and while Thomas is, he can't be here often enough to act as a guardian to any of us."

"Are you asking me to stay here as your guardian?" she asked, an unreadable expression on her face.

"If you want to," he answered. "If it won't interfere with any of your duties...and if you're able to stay. It would be a big help to us." He smiled at her.

She looked at him for a few moments before she finally said, "I'll think about it." Then, she walked away and turned the corner down the corridor.

Edwin watched her leave, then walked to Monty's bedroom and opened the door, stepping into the room.

By now, Monty was awake. He was sitting on the bed next to Thomas, a blanket wrapped around his shoulders, eating a sandwich, and he glanced up at Edwin when the door was opened, giving a slightly shy smile.

Edwin smiled back, relaxing at seeing Monty awake and eating, and gently closed the door behind him. He walked over and sat down on the bed next to Monty, unable to hide a wince as his backside stung.

"Did something happen?" Monty turned wide, worried eyes onto Edwin.

"Only my best friend making sure I was held accountable for my actions in the Dreaming." Edwin shifted slightly, then leaned in to kiss Monty's cheek. "I saw the Night Nurse outside. She's worried about you."

"Are you sure about that?" Thomas asked, arching an eyebrow. "She doesn't seem particularly fond of any of you."

"I think she cares," Monty admitted, shifting closer to Edwin and resting his head on his shoulder. "She returned my emotions, even after I said no, and warned me not to harm Niko. I wasn't planning to do that anyway...."

Edwin slipped his arm around Monty's waist, and smiled when Thomas took his hand and squeezed it. "I offered her a way to stay, if she wants to take it. She may not, of course...but if she does, it also solves our problem of needing a legal guardian living here, since none of us appear to be over eighteen." He looked towards Thomas. "I would have asked you, but I know you need to return to your subjects. And I can't easily travel with you now...."

"I can always take one of you, or even both of you, through the mirror with me the next time I leave." Thomas raised Edwin's hand to his lips and pressed a kiss to his palm. "Do you need some ointment rubbed in? I can take care of that for you," he offered.

"Probably." Edwin shifted position slightly. "Charles said there might be some bruising." His friend hadn't gone easy on him...not that he could blame Charles, really. Still, he was sore from the discipline, so even a small amount of relief would help.

"Okay." Thomas patted his lap. "Lay across, and I'll rub some healing ointment in."

Edwin considered, briefly, the idea that Thomas might decide to add to the punishment he'd already received at Charles' hands. He only considered that for a moment, though. He didn't believe the Cat King would spank him again without warning, or telling him what was about to happen. So he stood up and he walked round to Thomas' other side. Pushing his trousers and underwear down, he positioned himself across Thomas' lap.

Monty shifted close enough that Edwin could rest his head in his lap, and he began stroking Edwin's hair. "That looks really sore," he whispered, looking towards Edwin's backside.

"I deserved it. Charles was right to be upset and worried." Edwin sighed, his body relaxing as he felt cool, soothing ointment being rubbed into his heated skin. It stung a little at first, but eventually, he was able to relax and just enjoy the attention.

"What happens now?" Monty's soft question broke the silence.

Edwin opened his eyes, realising he'd closed them in contentment. He looked up into Monty's eyes, allowing the other man to see his sincerity, as he whispered, "I love you. I love both you and Thomas. It took me a long time to realise...nearly too long. But I want to be with both of you. I want to spend this new life I've been given with both of you." He paused, then continued quietly, "I only hope that, even if you don't feel the same, you'd be willing to try...to stay with us and see if we can make this work."

"I...I think I do. Feel the same way, I mean," Monty said. "Do I get to live here? With you? With both of you?"

"Yes." Edwin's response was firm.

"Yes. At least when I don't need to be with my subjects," Thomas said.

Monty's smile was hesitant, but still real. "I want that," he whispered. "I want to be with you...with both of you. I'm sorry...."

Edwin leaned up and pressed a kiss to Monty's lips, cutting short his apology. He didn't know if Monty was apologising for his actions in the Dreaming...or if he was apologising for betraying them on Esther's orders.

It didn't matter anymore, though. None of it mattered...apart from being with the two men he loved.

The End