This is the last chapter before the epilogue ;-;
It's been fun writing this book. Thanks for sticking around for this long, guys!
UNEDITEDDDDDDD
- Ida
Chapter 30- They don't guard the windows though
Tuesday, 12 June
20:32 PM
"They will come here for me soon if you don't hurry, fire girl." Dark haired boy muttered under his breath. "And we'll be dead. Or at least, you will be dead."
"Fun." I concentrated more thermal energy on the already red chain attaching the handcuffs to the boy's wrists. Bright fire created dramatic contrast to the pitch black environment with its incandescent light. "Lots of sacrifices had been done yesterday. You should be happy you could sacrifice yourself without actually dying."
"Did someone accidentally die sacrificing himself yesterday?" He drawled on casually. "Your champion is still doing okay?"
I sucked in sharp intake of breath as his words sank in, creating jolt of energy surge through my veins from heated anger and grief.
"Alright. Got it" He tilted his head to one side, observing my reaction. "My condolences." He whispered monotonously, nodding a little.
Super villains are human after all.
Clenching my fists around the metal chain holding Chameleon back from his freedom, I noticed fire burnt even brighter from my hands. I felt warmness spreading from my eyes region and felt grateful I had a mask to hide my expression. I took in a deep breath, steadying my focus.
"We have ten minutes before the cops reach the generator then the light will come back on to give everyone in the control room glimpse of Flare busting a villain out of jail. Your trust issues used up five of that." I sneered despite the fact the my voice was cracking as I pulled apart the now molten chains to free the super villain. Twice in 2 days. "And we still have to spare some time in case your lovely friend's arranged you a surprise visit! I highly doubt they will let you live like we did."
"Is that why you're here? You're guilty you left me to die?" I could still place Chameleon's wide grin even under the shadow as we sprinted in out of the dark room. "Or is it because I lived against all odds?"
- - - -
10 hours prior...
"--It has been 2 days since the biggest superheroes and villains match took place at the City Hall. It was surely one of the biggest Armageddon in the history. We apologized for the delay in broadcasting. Since thousands of citizens had been somehow put under control of the super villains group. Evident suggested that the super villains involved in the attack were--" I turned down the volume of the TV in the hospital room and dropped the aluminum spoon back into the white ceramic bowl still filled to the brim with oatmeal.
Just oat, actually. The word meal should only be reserved to call food, not some soggy, insipid, inedible grayish substance.
Cool air from the AC was tainted with scent of Iodoform, causing my already non existent appetite to shrink even more.
Rubbing my quite swollen eyes, I slipped the brown tray back onto an aluminum nightstand at the side of a bed that could be featured in a hyperspace sci-fi film. If there was an intruder, I could just grab these random tendrils from those random machines and strangle them.
I just woke up for 2 hours with 2 needles stuck in my arms and I was already contemplating violent plan I'd never be able to pull off at least in this week.
I had this room all to myself with 24 hrs AC and TV but I just wanted to go home. We were signed in under our civilians' name as victims of the Battle at City Hall last night. Only those researchers working at Super Power Department were allowed to learn the truth.
Long list of the villains' names dragged on. I wasn't informed in details about what happened after I intentionally caused the explosion in the sky. Aunt Casey just told me that the villains had retreated since they knew the power plant was going to explode.
But it didn't, in the end.
Surprise.
A series of photos flashed on the screen and I quickly turned up the volume again. It was rose colored flame shooting in the sky next to the white plane Veronica maneuvered. "It's a bird? It's a comet? Ladies and gentlemen, let us introduce you to the newest superhero! A girl in crimson super suit soared the sky and stopped the plane plunging toward Brackenbridge power plant just in time by using her power switch the plane into self-destruction mode. It burnt to ash before it could reach the site. Some remaining fell into River Selm were being retrieved for further investigation. Cryonics--"
That name brought about worry crashing into me like a tsunami wave.
I lifted my bandaged arm and pushed crisp, white blanket off me then hopped off the bed, walking bare feet toward the window. My right ankle was sprained and there were minor injuries here and there but for a person who just fell from a plane, I felt quite okay. The doctors hadn't let me see Les since I got here.
They acted as if I was overreacting when he only had a mild fever.
I knew what I saw and the memory of seeing him like that haunted me to no end. I had no idea why Les was there with me after the plane exploded. I didn't know what happened to him but ,judging by the state he was in, he was hanging to his life by a thin thread.
So, I didn't buy their acts.
The nurse rushed inside my room this morning when I was interrogating one of the doctors about Les. She mentioned Cryonics brusquely before running off again as if it was an emergency. The doctors shot out of their seats like bullets leaving barrels, snatching their clipboards and followed her.
They were just saying that he was fine to not give me a heart attack last night when I was an emotional and physical wreck.
My heart rate monitor soared as I sat on my bunk alone, dreading what was happening to my best friend.
If he's—if I ever found out who hurt him, I would not be lenient.
Thought Monday mornings are awful? Well, Monday night like yesterday was worse.
It's strange I couldn't remember much. Except for the explosion part, of course.
And the part where I saw Les looking lifeless on the ice sheet.
My hand shot to cover my mouth to silent down my whimper as the image popped up before my eyes again.
Perhaps I should go hover over the balcony for a bit to find out where he was.
Even though it was raining and I didn't even know if the bandages were waterproof.
Or fireproof.
Just when I was about to push the window of my room opened and dive down, the wooden door to my room was flung opened. My parents, still dressed In flannels and jeans burst into the room. Mochi, looking less emotionless than usual leaped at me and licked my face.
"That could cause infection!" My mom, who I inherited the germaphobic trait from, yanked the cat away from my arms. Her auburn hair was thrown into a messy ponytail instead of neat bun as usual. My dad still had his boots on with the hay sticking all over them and all.
"If we hug you, would that hinder the healing process?" She smiled wanly even though her gray eyes were brimmed with tears.
"Group hug?" I croaked, spreading my arms out wide. I hadn't spoken to anyone for awhile so my voice had become a weird combination of Kermit the Frog and the Grinch's voice.
In my parents' arms, I felt like a kid again. As if I was safe at home in Mistwood, seated on the mahogany bench around the kitchen table with mom lecturing me about the hazard of eating uncooked cookie dough while dad would be eating the entire bowl of that right behind her. (Him eating all the cookie dough was what made me cry, not the lecture.)
I couldn't decided whether I should cry or laugh. So, like I always did, I chose to do both at the same time.
"So, you have accomplished you dream of being a superhero." Dad chuckled. "Told you, Laurel, you shouldn't have bought her the Barbie Dream House."
I had turned the dream house into a perfect Batman cave for the action figures of superheroes Les collected.
"You knew?" I asked between the sob (and the laugh).
Mom gave me an incredulous look. "We've raised you for 16 years, Jamie Devlin! Even if you cover up your face like the Spider man guy, we would recognize you!" She maneuvered me to sit on the bed.
"I was planning to drop subtle hints before telling you so you would take the news calmly." I told them, watching my mom who was clearly not calm rolled her eyes.
"You fell off an airplane, Jamie." Mom deadpanned.
"That's as subtle as dropping a bomb." Dad cleared his throat, indicating he was about to bring in some serious matters. "So we've been told that a certain kid that we know well is a—heroic super villain."
My heart rate sped up, knowing where he was going at. "Quite cool, huh, dad?"
"Yeah, cool. Except for the fact that he had visited you multiple times for the past 2 weeks behind mask." He grumbled. "Without informing us! And you didn't tell me about that at all!"
"Come on, now, Robert." Mom chuckled, winking at me. "It's just the boy. Besides, Amelia was supervising him. He saved Jamie's life."
"I—I would have died, dad." I nodded quickly, stumbling over my words a little because mom seemed to have guessed what was going on. "He got me out of the bus wreckage that day."
"That boy didn't even use front door like normal people! Heck no! He just had to enter through the window!" Dad groaned. "No happy midnight, sir, can I talk to your daughter for a second?"
"You would've said no." Me and my mom spoke up simultaneously.
"Exactly!"
"Dad." I laid back onto the soft mattress. "It's no big deal. It's just Les. I could break his nose in a fight, remember?"
"I'm having a talk with that kid later." Dad said in all seriousness and mom nudged him in the arm. "Just a talk, Laurel!" He muttered, crossing his arms.
"Well, how's that boy doing?" My mom asked, her voice etched with concern.
"I don't know. When the plane exploded and I fell down, somehow, he was there." I tried focusing on the memory and looking at it in details but creating a clear picture of that was as hard as sculpting water. "I don't know what happened next but I only have a sprained ankle from the fall."
I left the part where I intentionally maxed my power to make the plane went kaboom for later.
"May I come in?" Aunt Casey spoke up from the door after a series of knocks. "They sent you all these cards and flowers, Jamie. But you are allergic to pollen so I have them kept outside for now." Her voice was laced with guilt and she kept her eyes on the floor the entire time she talked. Her cheeks were as red as her messy hair. Dark rings were present under her green eyes on her pale complexion. "I'm so sorry, Laurel. You're right about me not being able to supervise her like a mature aunt."
My mom rushed toward, according to her, immature little sister and threw her arms around Aunt Casey who was probably waiting for a lecture. "I actually assigned Jamie to supervise you, Cass." She sobbed into her taller sister's shoulder. I could see tears brimming Aunt Casey's eyes when they pulled away, laughing at what my mom had said. My parents weren't informed that the whole missing person; Casey Dunne thing was just a hoax.
"Honestly, Jamie, this is all so new to me. I still have no idea how come you have super powers when none of us possessed any!" My dad exclaimed, laughing at me.
"I know now who I inherited the superhero traits from." I nodded, smiling up at him. "How can I not feel obligated to be one when I have been raised by superheroes my whole life?"
Suddenly, a familiar voice echoed in my head. "Jamie, we need to...talk."
"Hey, Collin." I greeted back in my mind. It was quite unbelievable how I was talking directly to Brackenbridge's most notorious hero. "Where are you?"
"Sixth Floor. I'm with Emerson. He's the doctor assigned to Cryonics."
My heart beat faster at the mention of Les because Titan's tone was definitely not the one that came with good news. "Is Frosty alright?"
"That's what we need to talk about..."
I was out of the window in split second.
- - - -
"Please have a seat. I mean..seats." An elderly man with white hair and clear blue eyes said when he saw me and Collin walking into the room. (Collin walked. I sprinted.) He wore a white doctor gown with red cross and another logo embroidered on the pocket. "Cryonics's case, right..? He is recovering...gradually. It's not the external injury that causes the problem. We have--"
"Is he going to be okay?"I asked impatiently. My hands clutched together so tight my knuckles turned white. Collin had to pull them apart from each other before my nails could draw blood from my palms.
"Cryonics was injected with the product from Project Trojan recently, Emerson." Collin informed. "If that would help with your—theory."
"I think that's where the problem started. The tranquilizer hindered the healing process that could neutralize the damage from his Leukemia. It's like a running competition with time limit. He was tripped and it's impossible for him to catch up now." Dr. Emerson sighed, adjusting his glasses.
Cryonics was shot a day before Les's accident at the ice rink. If only I didn't listen to him and went with him to battle Cloudburst, things may have gone down differently.
"I read on the subject." I blurted out. "Stem cells method for AML. Will that help?"
"We'll need a very perfect donor." Dr. Emerson sighed. "An immortal donor, perhaps."
"Can I go see him?" I asked as my vision blurred out from tears welling in my eyes.
"Please note that this is a highly classified unit and we can't risk having any visitors who aren't related to the patients visit." He said with sympathy. "The guards won't allow that, young lady. Identities of superheroes are to be concealed. I'm afraid I cannot change the rules."
The door to the room was flung opened and a nurse poked her head in. "Dr. Emerson, your shift has started."
I slouched back in my chair, inhaling deeply. I didn't want to cry but my body betrayed me. Teardrops seeped onto the thin fabric of the hospital gown I was wearing.
Dr. Emerson got up and headed toward the door but I unmistakably heard what he muttered under his breath for only me to hear. "They don't guard the windows though, Flare."
- - -
I landed on the balcony on the sixth room from the left on the forth floor. Even though it was raining, my fire power evaporated the rain before it could hit my skin. New life hack I learned as a super. I still felt a little dizzy though because I was using my power when I wasn't fully recovered.
Sliding the window opened, I hopped onto the cold wooden floor, stumbling into the dull gray curtain.
My heart dropped when I saw Les. His right leg was in a cast. Numerous cuts littered on his pale skin and he had breathing machine on, indicating his injuries weren't just external. The TV was left on but Les wasn't even watching it. His grey eyes were fixed to the bland, white wall in front of him and he was biting his lip. That's what he always did when he was nervous.
Or scared.
"You will end up with busted lip if you keep on doing that." I uttered. The tone was supposed to be a little lighter but seeing Les like that had drained every ounce of levity out of me.
To say he looked sick would be an understatement.
That signature smirk found its way to his lips as he turned to face me. "I think I'm having a dejavu. With role reversal." He croaked out weakly, feigning surprise. His hoarse voice was no louder than a whisper, almost mistaken with the constant beeping of the hospital monitor. "You just flew into my window and you call me a stalker, Jay?"
I wanted to just attack him with a bear hug but I didn't want to add more charge to his hospital bill.
I dragged a stool from the corner of the room and set it next to his bed before plopping down. "You're a bad influence." I replied, reaching over to brush back that stray blonde lock that always fell into his eyes. I couldn't help but winced at the dark bruise beneath his eye. His forehead was feverishly hot. Counter-intuitively, if Cryonics was cold to touch, that meant the guy was still healthy. If his body temperature ever reached 37 degree Celsius, that's when you should rush him to the hospital because of heat stroke.
It surely skyrocketed to over 37 at that moment.
"You have been saying that since the first day you could pronounce the word influence." Les scoffed. "But you know your parents don't think so. I'm the sweetest kid ever, according to them."
"Your mom told my dad about your stalke-rish and villainous alter ego." I crossed my arms on top of the bed, setting my chin on top of them. "So he wants to have a talk with you later, Logan."
Les raised his brow, letting out a chuckle that resembled a wince more than a laugh. "Why do I have a feeling that full body armor would be the most appropriate attire for this talk?"
"Anything but your super suit will do." I laughed.
A certain photo on the television screen caught my eyes. There were of Flare and Cryonics, free falling from the plane wreckage.
"After a long free fall from the sky, the photos shown Cryonics, the city's vigilante/villain, crashing into a large frozen wave of water along with our super girl. After the crash, our fire girl, for some reasons, seemed devastated over the fallen super villain who was finally unmasked..."
The heart rate graph on the monitor screen surged after that sentence came out of the reporter's mouth.
"...Fortunately for Cryonics, the quality of the footage wasn't good enough to be used in identifying the identity of this super villain who had become quite a celebrity after Raul Mcgregor, an award-winning author and a scientist from SPD, opinionated that the fall resembled an iconic ending scene in a book of his that had been developed into movie thrice." The black haired reporter informed us with a bright smile. "One thing we could agree on is the irony of the possible relation between the fire super girl and the cold super villain is just beautiful. Hero and villain. Fire and ice."
"Fire and ice." Les laughed, throwing his head back. "Brace yourself to see this issue everyday after this."
"That's why I'm never leaving for night patrols without mask."
The reporter continued on enthusiastically. I guessed after two weeks long of reading put only news about attacks and deaths, hot scoop like supers' secret relationship must intrigued them and publicity. Especially when it's between a superhero and a super villain. "Let's see what the author of Fallen Hero has to say about this superhero's current talk of the town."
A middle aged man with dye green hair tapped on the microphone before speaking. "Apparently, Cryonics went all Scott Carlson for his super girl, Rosia Miller." He used his own book's protagonists reference enthusiastically. "He sacrificed himself to save her by taking all the impact of the fall. Whether he lives or not, I won't spoil it for the first time readers of Fallen Hero.-"
"He died, of course. Dramatic and unexpected death at the end of the book to give it a surprise plot twist after kilometers of just straight line the entire story." Les commented monotonously.
"He died?" My eyes shifted to meet his, still couldn't believe I heard it right.
To my surprise, he just laughed. His hand caught his ribs as he haunched over slightly. "Don't tell me you like that movie too. Is it because the actor? He's not even a real superhero, Jay. I mean he still had a freaking cape on his suit."
I wasn't focusing on the Fallen Hero trilogy or how dreamy the dark haired guy who played Carlson was. I was focusing on the word sacrifice and life.
"Jay?" He called, grabbing my hand. "Ground control speaking. You're spacing out big time, astronaut."
"You did that, Les?" I spoke up, my voice was shaky. "Is that why I'm not injured from that fall?"
He studied my reaction for a moment before rolling his eyes at me. "You would have done the same thing. Let's not talk about how that last fight went down. Just appreciate the fact that it's over."
"Les." I swallowed the lump in my throat, looking down at our intertwined hands. His thumb rubbed a circle on the back of my hand soothingly. White bandage wrapped on both our hands created rustling noise at the contact. "Do you know that you really are a hero?"
"You are calling me a hero, huh? Do I get my own action figure now? As Christmas present?" He grinned, his left dimple showing. "I actually had planned I'd move Christmas up when I was six but dad didn't want to help me make it happen."
"Stay alive till Christmas and we'll talk." I said, resting my head on the bunk. That would be the best gift for me, really.
"You have to ask Santa for that." His gaze was fixed on me, his faint smile still present on his chapped lips.
Silent in the room was constantly interrupted but sound of rain splattering on the window. Blurry view of the city was obscured behind the dull curtain. Dark and rainy day does weird things to people's mind.
It either makes you all warm on the inside from reminiscing mellow memories in the past or makes you feel so nostalgic for the rest of the day.
In my case, it was the latter.
Why was I feeling nostalgic over something---someone I haven't even lost yet?
"So Emerson told you about the situation I'm having here." Les cleared his throat, breaking the silent. "The situation we are having here."
"Yes."
"Well, then..." He ruffled my hair, messing my already messy bangs up. Under other circumstance that doesn't include him hooked up to a breathing machine, I'd have been quite mad. "Want some ice-cream for that?"
"Probably will need 5 pints of that everyday after this." I sniffed. I wasn't even sure if dry ice would be cold enough. Heck. I could be pouring liquid nitrogen all over myself and the pain would still be there if I ever lose him again.
I turned to look at all the flowers wrapped in papers, placed in fragile vase and basically just littered on the floor and upon the nightstand. Most of them were blue in color as though senders had mutual understanding to express a certain meaning through the color. Cold dew on the fresh petal dropped onto my finger as I flipped a sky blue card opened. I read the childish handwriting in blue ink. "Have you read them?"
"Only the ones I could reach from here without ripping these needles from my arm." He sighed, gesturing at all the hanging tendrils. "You?"
"I'm allergic to pollens. My aunt has them kept away from me." I handed him the card.
"So I can't make a last minute gift by vandalizing my neighbor's flowerbed on the way." He said thoughtfully, receiving it from me. "Are you allergic to leaves? Like leaves bouquet?"
I could totally see him making the leaves bouquet thing happen.
I had to laugh at that ridiculous respond of his but I guessed he probably had done that a couple of times. The vandalizing neightbor's flowerbed part. Since I was his neighbor and the white roses on my fence would vanish on school dance days only to appear again on my wrist as a lazy excuse of a corsage.
He even forgot to cut out all the freaking thorns.
"You really have considered the flower cliché? Does it actually work under circumstances other than compulsory school dances?"
"Have never tried that before and since you're allergic to flowers, I won't ever get to." He said sincerely, holding the card up to his eye level. "It's a thank letter. His father was one of the manipulated citizens at City Hall. He made it home safely so his son thanks me for making that happen."
"Cryonics is probably his hero now."
Les flipped the card over to look at the doodle of a superhero with cape blowing behind him from the force of the invisible wind. "Unfortunately, I didn't get to send a thank letter like this to any supers as a kid." He bit his lip, his eye downcast. "What about you?"
"Yes. To a superhero who saved my life. Not only because he pulled me out of the wreckage at this hospital 4 years ago but for being the best teacher and best uncle for me. And super cool dad for my best friend." I replied. "I think I also sent one to his son via text message but he's just too humble to accept the hero title."
I had rarely seen Les cried unless it was involuntary tear from physical pain like getting a rugby ball thrown at his face. However, when I looked up at him, his grey eyes were glossed over a little. "4 The years ago, when Hypno attacked this place, I tried to stop dad from marching into the battle. He had to freeze me to the wall in the end. Got to the battlefield when the match had ended."
I knitted my brow slightly. "I was there the whole time. I can't recall any of that."
"The explosion didn't kill you by the time I got there. I carried you to the paramedics." Les swallowed hard, closing his eyes. "That's why I freaked out and did stupid thing like visiting you at the hospital after the bus accident even when it could give out my identity. You could've died twice. At least technically."
"Make that thrice now that we survived the fall from that airplane." I sighed. "What happened next?"
"When you woke up, it turned out you were having a shock and couldn't even remember I was there. We let it slip, thinking it was all for the best." He chuckled. "I swear I was against it. I wanted to tell you it's just me. But we all know how persistent my parents could be."
"You were just 11. How?" I looked at him in disbelief. Picturing a lanky 11 years old kid carrying an accident victim was quite hard. Not to mention I was a bit taller than him at that time.
Girls were taller than boys around that age. That was, of course, before then growth curve of his shot up and mine just went on in straight line.
I think I got like a few months to taunt him about his height before we stopped talking.
And he ended up towering at a tad more than six feet.
"A little help from adrenaline, you know?" He shrugged, turning to look at me. "Still wasn't fast enough to save dad."
"Hypno was a very powerful super villain." I reasoned, knowing he blamed himself for his father's death. "You were just a kid. Your dad wouldn't have let you assist him in that battle."
"I know but if you were me, would you be able to bring yourself to not feel guilty?" He said, his voice cracking. "My biggest failure in saving my own father seemed to have branded me somehow. After that, no matter how many people I have saved, I will never be able to convince myself that I deserve to be called a hero."
Guilty. Right. That was similar to the situation where Cryonics froze me in place to prevent me from following him to battle Cloudburst. The consequence of him getting shot with the tranquilizer that day was Les slowly losing to his Leukemia.
My fault or not, unlike the 11 years old Les, I could still change the outcome.
I squeezed his warm hand. It felt so wrong after all those time it had always been ice cold. But Cryonics wasn't there anymore, was he? And the brave super girl of Brackenbridge was not around at that moment too. She wouldn't cry when the fight isn't over.
Just Leicester Logan and Jamie Devlin.
Les and Jay.
My gaze was fixed on the uneven line on the heart monitor. "I don't deserve that title too if I can't save my best friend." I whisper as tear dropped from the tip of my nose onto my knees.
"I heard everything you said after we reached the ground that night,--best friend." He smirked, emphasising the last two words.
"It's not like you didn't know, Cryonics." I stuttered, recalling how I blurt out embarrassing stuffs in despair, thinking he was gone. "You basically had me spell it out to your alter ego the day before. You sly little--."
"Thank you." He whispered with a small smile, cutting off my rambling.
"You're--welcome." I replied awkwardly before changing the subject, not really knowing how to respond. "Look, I think Emerson would let me go home by the end of today. I'll visit you after school as long as your window is unlocked."
"As much as I'd love that, remember there's still life outside hospital. Can't have our new superhero getting sick, can we?" Les asked. "Do you know millions species of dangerous pathogens are lurking in the air everywhere here?"
"You can't stop me from doing anything, dude. As long as you are still bedridden." I raised my brow. "I could just change the TV channel right now and you would have to binge watch Courage The Cowardly Dog until someone changed it to something else for you."
"I kinda like the show so I don't really mind watching that all day but...Devlin." He started in a warning tone, his thumb wiping the tear from my cheek gently. "Don't do anything reckless while I'm not around. Anything Cryonics would do."
The Venn diagram of things Cryonics would do and things Flare would do only required a circle to represent.
"Pfft. Out of the two of us, I have always been the one entrusted with the supervision task."I forced a laugh in spite of my tear streaked cheeks. Just so he would feel relief I wouldn't act irrationally when he isn't there.
But I definitely would.
"But for the record, you were always my partner in crime." He winked, flicking my forehead lightly. "Just equipped with better credit and plan."
I heard footsteps and realized I better wrapped it up quickly before someone could catch me. I got up and stood next to the bed. "You're one of the strongest people I know, Les." I whispered, placing a kiss on his forehead. "Fight it, hero."
"Alrighty..." He inhaled deeply as the graph on the monitor surged again. "And...I'm busted. You want me to go into cardiac arrest, Jay? Because that would really work."
"I should go before your doctor could find out about this." I gestured at the heart monitor, chuckling at his reaction.
"Please stay?" He said sincerely. "I haven't really talked to you for a long while. Even after you know about my Leukemia. Everything just moved too fast this week."
"Someone's coming. I'm not allowed in here." I whispered, smirking. "Yes, I broke the rule, Les. Don't look so surprised. I'll sneak in as often as possible. Deal?"
"Whoa. Okay. That's badass." Les chuckled. "It's just my family though. I can hear Gale talking from here."
A few minutes later, Aunt Amelia and Gale rushed into the room.
"Just get better, Les, please." The girl murmured, her voice thick with emotion. "Don't leave me."
The way Gale's sobs raked her body as she whimpered, throwing her arms around her brother made my heart ache. Poor little girl with tear streaked face and reddened nose cried as Les held her, resting his head on her tiny shoulder.
"I'm not going anywhere, Gale." My best friend whispered hoarsely, meeting his mother's eyes and gave her a brave smile.
Aunt Amelia placed an arm around my shoulder, side hugging me as her tears made trails down her cheeks. "I can't lose him, Jamie. Not when his dad also--" She whispered shakily. "Even though I thought I would be strong since the day he was diagnosed. Every year with him after that was a blessing."
"He saved millions of lives yesterday." I swallowed hard, feeling my throat constricting and my stomach knitting. "He wouldn't--he wouldn't get hurt if he didn't have to save me. I'm sorry." I croaked out as I watched Gale cried heartbrokenly. "I'm so sorry."
"It's no one's fault, Jamie. It's Les's decision." She sighed, composing herself. "And that kid has quite an issue with decisions making since he could talk. Remember the time he thought it's a great idea to dig for pirate's treasure in the neighbor's backyard?"
A light chuckle left my mouth simultaneously to my sob as I thought of that. I couldn't really laugh at him since I went along with that plan too.
We breached the water pipeline and our neighbor had to come over to my house to use the toilet for two days.
"He did make a few good decisions though." A kind smile curved Amelia's lips as she shook her head, looking into my eyes. "You."
I had never blushed so hard while crying. Spark of flame flashed around my fists as I stuttered, opening my mouth and closing it in an attempt to form a not-awkward respond.
"Since Cryonics was created, Les was more like himself before he was diagnosed." She went on. "I could guess Cryonics had met you multiple times. Who would come back from fighting crimes with a wide smile on their face?"
Maybe Deadpool?
I must admit hearing a mother talking about their son's behaviors around their crush was quite cute and funny in a sense.
But not when the girl is you.
And you happen to not be that cool in taking compliments like these.
I just became a stuttering embarrassment.
"I guess--Cryonics talked to me a few times--yeah--at the library and on my balcony--at school—the bridge—I—." I sighed defeatedly causing Amelia to laugh. "—guess it's more than a few times, yes."
"Okay, I have said too much. Don't tell him. Your hands are catching fire, dear." Amelia laughed softly. "Thank you for everything, Jamie."
"It's my privilege, Amelia."
She walked over to the bedside where Les was trying to convince Gale to change the channel from Disney to Cartoon Network because he could not reach the remote controller.
"Come on, Gale. You can't just cry the whole time I'm here, alright?" Les lifted Gale up onto the bed, being careful enough to not tear all those devices from his skin. His mom just laughed lightly at her son and ruffled his shaggy blonde lock as if he was a little kid.
I had decided that as long as the line on the heart monitor wasn't flat yet, he could still make it.
And there's no way in hell I'm letting him fight this battle alone.
A reckless plan had been built up subconsciously since Dr. Emerson said; "An immortal donor, perhaps".