The labels are doing everything they can to stop whatever's going on with their memories, but they have just as much control over the matter as Greg or Steven does. All they've done is hurt him, for no result but the pain left behind.

Greg's knowledge of what happened the first time is hazy at best, faded and blurred leftovers from what Multiverse had shared--resulting in a fear and desperation powerful enough to nearly rip them apart on its own. He'd come so far since then, and they'd pushed him back further than ever.

Slowly, Greg gets down on Steven's level and pulls him into a hug, the book between them. The label doesn't know how to make it stop, Steven doesn't know how to make it stop, Greg doesn't know how to make it stop. He doesn't know much of anything.