Nova was kneeling on the Renegades tower rooftop, sobbing into her hands as the rain beat down around her. The Sentinel was kneeling beside her, pressing a gun against her side. But it wasn't just the Sentinel. It was Adrian. Sweet, handsome, brilliant Adrian Everhart. Her archenemy. She could hear him crying too, but it was muffled by the helmet concealing his head.
He had found her on the rooftop, moments from jumping off of the 82 story building. He had ripped off her mask and pressed the gun to her side, but then he had hesitated.
"Pull the trigger, Adrian," she whispered through her tears.
"Nova-"
"PULL IT! If you don't, I will do it myself." She moved her hand over Adrian's and brought the gun up to her head. Adrian brought it down again and gently pulled it away from her. It took almost no effort, for at this point she had collapsed into his arms, overtaken by grief for what she had lost, what she was going to lose.
"Please, Adrian," she whispered into his suit. "Please end the pain."
"You can't ask that of me. Nightmare or not. Come on, Nova, get up. I'll take you downstairs." Nova looked at him, aghast.
"No. If you won't do it, then I will."
"No, you won't. I CAN'T DO IT, NOVA, and neither will you." He grabbed it from her hand and tossed it off the side of the building. He removed his helmet, revealing his tear-streaked face, as he pulled her against him, kissing the top of her head. "I won't let you." She pulled out of his arms and rose up to her feet, staring at him apologetically.
"I can't stay here. Goodbye, Adrian." She whispered, before walking towards the stairs to the main floors of headquarters.
"Nova, wait!" She turned, staring sorrowfully into his eyes. "Don't do it."
"Why? You hate me. I'm Nightmare, Adrian. Your nemesis. You should want me dead. There's no reason for you to not kill me. There's no reason-" she trailed off. "No reason for me to live."
He gaped at her, momentarily stunned. Then he moved towards her, slowly, as if towards a frightened animal. She gasped at stepped back, before turning and running, sliding down the stair rail to gain some distance between her and Adrian. She heard him shouting after her, heard the boots of his suit thudding against the stairs, but she did not stop. He was no match for her, even in the Sentinel's suit. She had pure determination and fear in her. It was all she was made of. Determined to end the Renegades, fear of losing more than she already had.
All she could do was run. Adrian was quickly catching up to her, practically flying from the moment he had burst out of the doors of HQ. He would be ahead of her in seconds. Nova ducked into an alley, and continued running, as fast as she could. She turned her head for just a second, and see the Sentinal fly past the alley. She heard him land and stop, looking around, confused. Ducking into the shadows, she ran on, away from her problems, away from the Renegades, away from herself. The stars blinked above her, and the city was eerily silent as Nova disappeared into the night.
