Only One to Blame

Here For You

"I-I can't," she mouthed.

He understood and turned back to Kaz.

-----

Sunlight in the morning is brutal on everyone. Who can truly open their eyes without squinting? Kaz sure couldn't.

Kaz counted to ten before finally opening his eyes. Once they adjusted to the sunlight he was able to take in the world around him. He was in a hospital; there was a machine monitoring his heart, a TV, couch and chairs, not to mention an annoying tube in his nose, but what really caught Kaz's attention was the beautiful view he had outside the window. Centium city really was a delight to look at. Beautiful buildings and skyscrapers like the one he lived in with... wait.

"Oliver...Bree, Skylar, Chase," he mumbled groggily. His throat felt like a million sharp needles in the skin, this familiar feeling only happened when he didn't talk for a while. How long was he out for?

Kaz tried to rise up in his neatly made bed but fell right back down. He could barely move he was so tired.

"Yeah I was thinking we could...Kaz? You're awake," a familiar female voice beamed.

Emerging through the door was none other than Skylar and Oliver. They were dressed in pjs and hoodies. Skylar's hair, usually dolled up, was in a simple bun. They looked tired but probably didn't feel as tired as Kaz felt.

"Hey," Kaz said, once again trying to sit up. Oliver helped him.

"I'm so glad you're awake, I was worried like crazy that you'd... well, you're okay thats all that matters," Oliver said. He handed Kaz a small cup of water in which both Kaz and his throat was thankful for.

Skylar leaned forward and kissed Kaz on the forehead. "I'm glad you're okay."

Kaz frowned. "I wasn't supposed to be okay, but I guess you know that already huh?"

This was the one conversation they didn't want to talk about once Kaz awakened. They had all tried for a week to figure out why their youngest friend would try and end his life. It wasn't in the letter Oliver found under his pillow, in which he threw the letter away because it was a memory he didn't want to keep. The conversations they had with each other about Kaz's motives were so hard and painful that they dreaded the actual answer he would give.

Skylar nodded, quickly wiping a falling tear from her cheek. "Kaz, if it was me and I hurt you in any way I'm so sorry. Please don't think you have to hurt yourself to get away from me. I-I'll move into a whole other apartment if you want, I'll--"

"Skylar stop." Kaz was appalled that she would think his attempt at suicide was her fault. Then he thought about Oliver who he was sure felt the same. "Its neither of your faults."

Oliver broke down. "Kaz, what's wrong, why did you do this?"

"Please tell us," Skylar said. They both sat on Kaz's bed.

Kaz held it in for months now but they deserved to know the truth. He cleared his throat and with a shaky breath began to explain.

"You know how Roman and Riker destroyed Mighty Med?" They gestured for him to go on. "I... I knew about it a month before the attack."

Oliver and Skylar's mouth formed an O but they were too in shock to speak.

"Roman and Riker cornered me in the hallway after the surgery. Roman said they would get revenge and Mighty Med would be no more but I didn't take it serious."

Skylar was hurt but she pulled Kaz in for a hug because she was certain his hurt was 10x worse. "Shh, its okay," she assured him.

He shook his head. "I would've saved Horace and Alan. Tecton and The Crusher,  they're all dead because of me. I figured if I killed myself then they would be avenged somehow." He buried his head in the crook of Skylar's neck.

"Kaz." Oliver joined their hug and soon there were three teens bawling in room 118, each broken and torn up about the pain they've all been through for the past months. They were glad Chase and Bree weren't there with them because they just wouldn't understand the pain and hurt. Skylar, Oliver, and Kaz never really did mourn the loss of their superhero friends. It made Oliver sick that Kaz was hurting so bad that he wanted out. All he could think about was if he hadn't decided to go check on him they all would've woken up the next morning to a dead Kaz on the bathroom floor. He hugged Kaz even tighter at the thought of it.

"I failed guys," Kaz cried, "I shouldn't even be a hero."

"No," Skylar told him, "you deserve to be a hero Kaz and if Horace was here he'd say the same. We all mess up but we can always come to each other with those mess ups and help each other through it. You don't have to run or... or try and hurt yourself to get away."

Kaz looked up at her with tear filled brown eyes that were apologetic and guilty. "Really?"

"Yes," they assured him.

Skylar handed Kaz some tissues while Oliver went to get the doctor. Kaz been out for a week so he was sure he would need a check up. Meanwhile Skylar lay next to him, both of them cleaning up their faces.

Skylar grabbed his hand. "You know... I lied." Kaz was confused considering Skylar was big on truth but he let her continue. "When I said I didn't want you to call me a friend. Kaz you're one of my best friends. A-and when I saw you on that bathroom floor I thought I lost the chance to ask for forgiveness."

Kaz frowned when she started to cry. "Sky-"

"Kaz," she hiccuped, "don't scare me like that again okay. I-I mean it! I can't do this again not for any of my friends."

Kaz handed her another tissue. He could see she was avoiding looking at him, so he grabbed her chin and turned her head towards him. He made sure she could see the reassurance in his eyes. "It's okay Sky. I won't. And besides no matter what you say I'll forgive you. I can't hold anything against you if I tried."

"Good to hear," said one of the doctors when she entered the room, "because I would hate to give you this pain medication, which will make you go to sleep, if you're going to sleep on a grudge. It's not healthy ya know."

Oliver helped Skylar out of the bed. "Hey Kaz we're going to get home to Chase and Bree, they're both sick with a cold. You good here buddy?"

Kaz winced when the needle made contact with his bare arm. "Yeah, I'll be fine."

Oliver fluffed his pillow just to make sure he had extra comfort. By the time the doctor finally told him he'd done enough fluffing, Kaz was knocked out.

"Its not Kaz's fault you know. He couldn't have know Roman and Riker were serious," Skylar said with certainty as they stood outside their apartment room.

Oliver agreed. "I don't think he'll stop blaming himself so soon though. You know, once he's released we're going to monitor him. I'll spend all day with him if I need to."

"Same."

And that's exactly what all four members did for Kaz. They barely let him out of their sight. It annoyed Kaz since he was big on having alone time but he was thankful that he had friends who cared so much about him. They didn't blame him or shame him for Mighty Med and would stop him even if he tried to curb their encouragement. There were still times where Kaz shut down, times where he wanted to die even, however this time he talked. He would talk to Oliver, Skylar, Bree, or Chase all throughout the night

"Just keep talking until you can't," Bree said through a yawn. She still had a cold and wanted rest but she wasn't leaving.

"And we'll keep listening," Chase added. "We've got your back."

"Definitely," Skylar and Oliver confirmed.

That brought a smile to Kaz's face. The five were huddled together on the guy's bedroom floor. It was one in the morning but they sat sharing caramel popcorn and just talking. Bree even shared some of her own feelings about not being the only girl anymore and Chase revealed just how left out he felt without more powers. Turns out they all had secrets and built up feelings. And that was when Kaz vowed that as much as they had open ears for him he was going to have open ears for them.

A/N I miss Elite Force already but I'm glad it happened!! Shame we didn't get to see the ending, but I can't wait to see what the cast will be up to next. Hope you guys liked this two part story :) REVIEW REVIEW don't leave me hanging