DEFEATISM

25

"Maybe we make her do all the things we had to do," Callie jokes. "You know, crawl through those tunnels, break into hundreds of rooms, survive on pancakes for a week."

Ro laughs. Yeah, they had to do all that, didn't they. They didn't have to do it just by themselves though. Maybe that really should be the super's payback. She left. She left when none of them were allowed to leave. Trial by fire, just herself.

"You seem happy," Callie peers at Ro. Even in the dark, Callie can see it. Ro's colour is a warmer shade. Its tone is changing.

"Yeah, well, it's either that or go insane," Ro manages.

They stand up and begin to walk up the stairs. Callie's legs ache from all the moving after a few days of being so idle. She's only up two floors from the basement. Galilee and Jerry aren't going to have a good time together while they make their way up. Callie wouldn't blame them if they camped out on the third floor.

"Okay, so what's your plan when we get out," Ro asks. "You going to go home for New Years."

Callie shrugs, "I don't know. I'm guessing you won't be able to fly back?"

Ro doesn't want to think about it. Thousands of kilometres below her, there are fireworks in her city. She saw them this morning, beating them to it. Her family back home is an hour ahead of her. She feels years ahead of them.

"At this point, I'm just thinking about vengeance," Ro smiles.

Callie laughs. Things would be too weird if Ro was thinking about much else at all.

~~~

Soon after, Moonie and Maverick bid the others farewell. They giggle in the hallway, walking arm-in-arm, up toward Maverick's bedroom. The journey on the stairwell is long. Maverick would never mind, and Moonie just smiles as he goofs around on the railings. He hangs off of each one, the closest thing to a gym in their building.

"You look like you're about to burst out in song," Moonie giggles after one particular swing on the railing, nearly making him pirouette.

"I think it's better for us both that I don't," Maverick chuckles, ruffling the back of his blond hair and stopping. "I'm too wiry."

"Take a melatonin pill," she continues up in front of him, turning around to take him in, "or ten."

He laughs.

From his spot below her, Maverick is actually just shorter than Moonie. He leans forward toward her, grinning. She leans down and offers him the sweetest and briefest of kisses. There is something spectacular in how short it is. Maverick could always want more and more of Moonie, no matter how much there is to offer. She feels unlimited in supply. He can never scoop all of her in one hand. Their days here before the storm lets up are numbered, but his journey with Moonie isn't.

She is just as bright in the dark as a moon on a cloudless night.

"When your family comes to pick you up, I'd love to meet them," Maverick smiles.

Moonie tries to return it. Only half her family. Less, really, since her older sisters' absence has carved out parts of her mother too. Craters. Maverick knows all about that though. He doesn't get it entirely, but he has had to fill the role his father left in his family's life too.

"Mum can't drive," Moonie offers, tight-lipped. "My Aunt will come, probably."

Maverick shrugs, "I don't have to say hi, Moons. I just... I guess I want to meet these people you love so much."