Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

2 February 2011

The Oil Rig – Brockton Bay

Strange. That was the one word echoing throughout Miss Militia’s head at the moment. This entire situation in front of her was just strange.

Gazing at the woman sitting across from her. All she could think of at the moment was this was definitely a strange situation. Even by parahuman standards. The woman across from her sat, motionless staring blankly at nothing since the moment she was brought in. Most people would be anxious, twitchy but this woman showed none of that.

No twitches, no other small micro movements that everyone makes. Movements to show restlessness or the slow rhythmic in and out of your chest. Just stillness. It was …weird honestly. Human beings aren't meant to sit still for such long periods of time.

Shifting slightly on her chair she stared at Armmaster with a questioning look on her face. “Facial recognition and DNA tests all came back with the same conclusive results. It is her or a Cape with a very strong Changer/Stranger ability but I find that situation highly unlikely to happen.” he said with a terse tone. He was assured that his tests were thorough and most likely true. After all he was the one handling all the necessary machinery and he made sure that he left no room for error.

Miss Militia couldn't argue with that. After all she was certain that Dragon was also helping in this endeavour and knew for a fact that if a Cape tried to imitate a person to gain entry into PRT headquarters their bluff would have failed before they got to this point.

That's what Master/Stranger protocols were for. Sighing to herself Miss Militia looked at the woman again.

Shifting her mask slightly then carefully organising her thoughts she gave the woman her full attention.

Ready to begin what would likely be the most headache-inducing questioning session she has ever been in, “ I'm Miss Militia and this is Armmaster. Dragon is also listening to our conversation at the moment.” she mentioned.

“ Hello. My name is Dragon as Miss Militia said. We would like to ask you a few questions if that's alright with you?” said a feminine and slightly synthetic voice from one of the many devices within Armmaster’s power armour. “Could you introduce yourself to us?” Dragon asked.

The woman who had been sitting quietly and very still with her back arched and head low as if bowing, staring blankly at the table in front of her slowly raised her head and looked at the people in front of her.

She used to admire and respect these people. Who wouldn't? They were or still are heroes in the eyes of every Brocktonian child and adult. Well, besides all the villains. They should definitely hate them.

But at the moment she only had vague recollections of who they were. They were important people that she knew.

She half remembered the Armmaster pajamas she used to own when she was younger. Amy would have probably called her cute if she saw her in them in that annoyingly sweet voice of hers that made her heart decide to skip a few beats. It's a shame they wouldn't fit her anymore, now that she thinks about it. She would have loved to see the look Amy would give her before things turned very heated.

Smiling and blushing to herself she then remembered the question asked and the people in front her. Returning her face to a neutral position she spoke “ Do you want my full name or just only my name?”.

“Your full name please.” Militia said. The woman sat upright and gazed at one of the cameras in the room. When was the last time she had seen one of those? Bringing her gaze back to Miss Militia she answered “ Taylor Annette KHEPRI Hebert-Dallon.”

Silence immediately followed after her words. There was clearly something wrong when she spoke. Something they couldn't properly hear. Something foreign that was said in a language and tone they couldn't quite make sense off. A small frown formed on Militia's face.

She then once more looked at Armmaster with a questioning gaze.“ Truth.” he said tersely. ‘Not what I was asking?’ she thought bitterly. She wanted his opinion on whatever name the woman mentioned. Seeing Armmaster look at the woman again and saying nothing she simply sighed under her breath and maybe mumbled a little curse.

Digesting what she just heard she decided to ask about something else, another jarring change to the woman’s original certificate besides whatever name came out of the woman's mouth. Well also momentarily excluding the age change, the difference in eye colour and the weird clothing she was dressed in.They would deal with that later.

The last time she checked this woman wasn't married nor a woman at all. “Hebert-Dallon?” The woman now known as Taylor simply nodded to Miss Militia's question and said nothing more. She's not ashamed of her last name. She's quite proud of it in fact.

‘Amy and Herself obviously decided it was better to just join their last names instead of arguing on who took who's. Though it took sometime before the decision was made. It was mostly Amy's fault. She insisted on being a Hebert.’ Taylor thought with a smile as her fingers stroked what seemed like a wedding ring on her left middle finger. A beautiful gold ring with an infinity knot grafted with what looked like diamonds at the front.

Through his visor Armmaster also saw strange runic engravings etched onto the ring. He was currently recording and scouring his database looking for meaning to them.

Miss Militia was clearly expecting the woman to say more and was about to ask her to explain further when Dragon spoke “ The name you just mentioned was it Khepri like the Egyptian god?”.

At first Dragon couldn't make sense of what she heard. The words sounded muffled to her system. And that was alarming.

She was not supposed to hear things or make mistakes in hearing what someone was saying. Unlike …well people she could analyse speech patterns, auto translate any language and she could even play back the words or repeat them slower all at an increasingly fast rate.

She had faster processing power than people. So to hear something like this and not be able to understand it was very worrying. She was only able to hear it after slowing it down and replaying twelve times. Only after the twelfth time could she really hear the word ‘Khepri’ and search the internet for information on it.

“Yes.” Taylor simply stated.

‘It was close but not quite right. When she said it she added a twinge of divinity to it giving it a little flair. She'll be embarrassed about her slip up later on. Atleast the ring did its job and suppressed most of it. Usually when she says that name with power people who hear it would freeze up , eyes glazed over before bleeding from their ears and then regaining consciousness. Weaker minds would have fainted.’ she mused.

Adjusting her sitting position slightly Taylor decided to give a little more information on the why she had the name “During the Ascension ceremony we were asked to pick new names to represent the type of new beings Amy and myself became. The only thing I could think of at that time that seemed fitting was Khepri so Khepri I became.” ‘Said it better this time.’ she thought with a smile.

“Type of being you became?” Armmaster's voice finally asked with a weary tone. He was having no luck deciphering the ring.

When he was called from his lab to perform this investigation, he wanted to refuse at first. He was close to finishing a recent update to his halberd. A new shooting mechanism that was loaded with tranquilizers.

He and Dragon had just figured out the right dosage to administer without being penalized for being too violent with villains. Every new tech he makes to curb them first has to go through screenings to ensure ‘’Safety Protocols’’ are followed.This notion has always disgruntled Armmaster.

‘The gangs are allowed to fire lethal ammunition but we can't.’ he thought annoyed of this rule.

The tranquilizers were mostly meant to take out Lung for some time but they could still work at a lower dosage for others so that was a bonus. He truly did not want to leave but was told this was of importance. His work was also of importance but in the end he begrudgingly left the comfort of his lab. This was orders from someone of higher ranking than him afterall he had to obey. And now he sat here as he thought of more things he could be doing that better suited him.

He didn't want to be here, not because he can't do it. He just felt that cases like this required a more emotional response.

An area he was told by his colleagues that he “sucked” at. Assault would have been a more efficient person to take care of this. He was personable and had a way with kids. But alas he didn't have a lie detector and facial recognition scanner attached to his helmet so Armmaster had to take the task.

‘In missing people cases like this he only excelled in the search and rescue part never the inbetween parts where the victims have to be calmy assured of their safety.’ he thought calmly admitting a weakness he would soon fix.

‘Years ago at some winter camp two kids went missing. One was the daughter of a Union Docks worker by the name of Danny Hebert and the other was the daughter of Brandish and Flashbang. A joint search party and investigation was immediately launched the day they found out they went missing but unfortunately no immediate leads were found on the disappearance of Taylor Hebert and Amy Dallon.

It was as if they were there one day and gone the next. It was like they simply vanished into thin air leaving no traces left behind.Overtime with no new information coming forth nor leads the case went cold. The families concerned never really stopped but their situation at that point in time looked hopeless.

New wave was of course devastated. They had already lost two members of their family not too long ago and now they lost another. The situation was simply just cruel but then again is that not how they became Capes in the first place – the cruelty of life.

At Least with Fleur’s death they had a body to mourn and a person to blame. The Empire took responsibility for the murder and executed the perpetrator. They also “apologized” for the transgression.

But Nobody took the apology seriously just a warning of what happens to Capes who unmask themselves; they become vulnerable and lose some of the security and privacy the mask afforded them.

But at that time they had something that at least brought some sense of whatever closure they could find, some relief and strength to fight back the anger , the loss and the overarching sense of grief and blame they felt.

This time they had nobody to blame; they couldn't put the blame on the camp they tried though. They also had no body to mourn because there was none, only the unnerving uncertainty of whether Amy was still alive or not. That must have kept them up at night. It was truly heartbreaking.’ Miss Militia thought as she mentally reviewed the case.

“Amy and myself became… different. After the trials we faced we became something more. At least that was what we were told. We became higher beings. ‘’Demigods’’ they said” Taylor mentioned in a wistful tone remembering the moment when her very existence changed.

The woman’s voice shook Militia out of her ruminations and back to the situation at hand. ‘Higher beings?’ Militia thought. She didn't like the way that sounded.

It reminded her too much of cases of where parahumans developed god complexes after their trigger events. “ Are you implying that Amy and yourself are some kind of god or goddess?” Dragon's voice rang out once more.

‘Looks like I wasn't the only one thinking of it. So there was a chance they were dealing with two possibly delusional Capes.’ Militia thought solemnly.

“Something like that or very close to it at least. We haven't fully ascended yet.” was Taylor's reply to the question.

‘Disillusioned.’ That was another word that came to Miss Militia's mind as she looked at Taylor.

‘At Least she wasn't showing any signs of extreme fanaticism or narcissism yet. God help her if she had to deal with another person with a complex.She already has her hands full dealing with Stalker and Impulse.’ Miss Militia mentally said as she helplessly remembered two of her most troublesome wards.

‘The woman looks weirdly calm for someone who might have been through something traumatic. Aside from her here and there smiles that she was doing a horrible job at hiding she seemed alright.’ she mused.

‘She could imagine the situation they were in , unaware kids taken from camp by a cult-like group consisting of parahumans or not and then forced to trigger or maybe they triggered on their own. Then held hostage or escaped together and …eloped?. Or maybe the group that took them married them by force and filled their heads with whatever indoctrinating bullshit about parahumans being gods.

The question was why though? Why did they specifically take them? She would understand if Amy was the only missing one. She was a Cape known outside her cape identity.

Even though she was an upstart cape she was still known. Or maybe she was taken due to the notoriety of New wave. Someone wanted to punish them?

They never received letters asking for money or to simply parade around the fact of how they were able to take Panacea.

If it was villains they would have done so. Either to raise their image, to simply psychologically torture New Wave or just to feed their ego.So maybe they weren't taken by New wave enemies?

Still this doesn't explain why Taylor was taken.

Ever since Leviathan declared the seas his territory, shipping companies that had to use the ocean as a means of travel started failing worldwide. This obviously included Brockton Bay and was one of the many reasons that led to its economic downfall. So the Dockworkers Union was in decline and had to let go of many of their workers and were not of that much importance during that time.

So why go through the trouble of kidnapping the daughter of one? Maybe Taylor was just an unsuspecting victim taken by chance for simply being at the wrong place at the wrong time?

Another concerning change that would bring problems later on was that the woman in front of her was older. Like young adult old. Not the age Taylor should be. Could they have been forcibly aged? What would have been the reason for that?

This case is just getting more and more confusing. I'm starting to get a headache trying to piece it all together.

Records stated that Taylor was in her early teens when she disappeared not looking anything like the young adult in front of her. Her eyes were also never purple.

This situation felt eerily similar to her own trigger event. Taken hostage and forced to do whatever your captors said.’ Shaking off her bad thoughts before she went into deep, down memory lane, Miss Militia composed herself. She looked at this whole incident and felt a deep sense of sympathy for Taylor and Amy.

Nobody should have to go through that.

“How old are you?” a hint of sadness could be heard in her voice as she asked. She wanted to understand the age change issue first. She would offer counseling and a shoulder to cry on later.

Right now they needed to get as much information from her as they could without causing a breakdown within the woman.

At this moment Taylor was feeling only three particular emotions: confusion, impatience and weariness.

Confused due to the look Miss Militia was giving her. It looked oddly like pity. ‘Why was she looking at her like that?’ she thought with a frown.

Weariness due to the other presence she could feel of somebody watching her from the cameras in the room. It has been bothering her for some time now.

Whoever was watching this conversation was somebody who was currently not in this building. She had already marked everyone inside this building the moment she entered it.

Tiny bacteria like organisms were currently moving from place to place, person to person writhing under her control.

She had eyes and ears everywhere. She could tell who was listening and who was watching and who was doing what with whom and where at the moment. If she wanted she could also keep track of their inner bodily functions. It was surprisingly easy to sneak in a few of her “bugs” inside their bodies.

‘They were all so unaware of how dangerous this situation could go for them if things went south. She was dangerous.’ she thought with an amused smile on her face.

But whoever this third party that was looking at her through the camera was, she didn't know who they were and it was unnerving.

Momentarily pushing it aside.She decided she would deal with it if it became a problem later on.

‘Not many things could harm her now anyway.’ she calmly thought.

Her violet gaze first fell to the strange rune like symbol on the back of her left hand with a detached look, then back at the table again and then she started drumming her fingers along its sides. It was code that only one other person who was also in a similar position to her would understand. She smiled warmly at the annoyed reply she got in return.

And finally impatience because she hasn't seen her wife since they both arrived here. She could still “see” her through her bugs but it wasn't the same.

They were seperated and taken into custody immediately after their arrival for no reason at all. ‘Or maybe it was because of the few people they hospitalized after their return. But Who cares those people deserved it.’ she thought bitterly as she clutched the table’s edges.

She was also feeling a bit impatient because she hasn't seen her dad in a very long time. Her dad who she went through hell and back for just to see him again. She just hopes he's okay.

‘Losing your wife, then experiencing your daughter's disappearance must have been hard for him.’ she thought.

‘Or a good wake up call.’ a small voice inside her head added bitterly. She immediately pushed that thought away as far as she could.

‘They both had lost someone dear to them and everyone deals with their grief differently. If his way of dealing with it was locking himself in his room and ignoring her. It was okay.

Grief does things to people they don't mean.Even if she was hurt for being ignored for some time and she had to become an adult early she refuses to hold him accountable. She wasn't better anyway. She was spending more time away from home.They were both obviously in pain.’ Taylor thought as she tried justifying her father's neglect after her mother's death.

‘It still hurt though. Most especially the nights she slept hungry before learning how to cook for herself.’ another voice inside her head said. She couldn't deny it.

Bringing both hands to smooth out her hair and maybe calm down the turmoil she felt.

She sighed and gazed at Miss Militia half remembering the question she asked. “I'm not quite sure how old I am. I'm around eighteen or nineteen I think? Time wasn't exactly flowing the same way as here.” she calmly spoke but if one were to listen carefully they could hear the clear irritation in her tone.

Good thing these people don't know her that well. While Taylor was thinking of ways to finish this conversation faster to get back to Amy.

The others were stuck on what she just said.

Time was different? Now Armmaster and Miss Militia were confused, heck even Dragon felt confused at the moment. How could time be different? They were certain she wasn't talking about time zones; she couldn't have been abducted to a different country could she? Even if she did, they couldn't badly affect your sense of time in that way. Or up your age in any manner whatsoever.

‘Maybe she was in another world that had time that moved differently? They had proof of different Earths so it was a sound theory. A planet with a different temporal flow. Their technology might be higher than our own. It would be interesting to see and study it.’ Dragon thought.
‘Maybe a time manipulating Cape? One Grey boy was enough. If they had a cape who was going around changing people's ages it would be troublesome.’ Militia thought tensely.

Trying to clear the confusion on this matter or maybe lighten the situation a little like Assault usually does, Armmaster posed a question based on something he recently read“Are you perhaps speaking about gravitational time dilation?” he asked.

Taylor blinked slowly and stared at Armmaster before bluntly saying “ I don't know what that is.” She truly didn't.

“A difference in altitude can affect how time is perceived. Clocks at higher altitudes will tick slightly faster than clocks at lower altitudes. This is due to a weaker gravitational influence the higher you are. Though their affect on humans would be miniscule. You would have to reach outside the planet levels of altitude to affect a person's time.” Armmaster explained with the tone of a man who clearly knows and has done some research on the work.

‘ I guess you do learn something new everyday….Wait is that the reason the Simurgh takes its breaks so high up in the sky unlike the other Endbringers!? Great just great another reason to be terrified of her. She's probably experiencing a time ahead of our own. A Telekinetic,mind manipulater and now maybe a precog. Just as she thought it wouldn't get worse with the Endbringers.But that would explain some things of how she operated.’ Militia thought sourly.

“.... Okay?” Taylor commented. She wasn't sure what to do with that information. Physics was never her strong suit. She was more of a literature gal. Plus what was the point of physics if there are parahumans moving around breaking whatever laws of physics at the moment. What were people doing with clocks so high up anyway?

A twinkle of laughter that was heard from Armmaster's device, broke both Taylor and Miss Militia out of their respective thoughts . “Of course you would know something like that.” Dragon said between giggles.

Miss Militia cracked a small smile beneath her mask. It really did seem like something Colin would know. Atleast this showed he had hobbies other than tinkering all the time. Assault would have to take back all his robot jokes.

Armmaster simply nodded his idea had worked. His joke was very effective. He would have to take more notes later on.

“Okay let's start from the beginning.” Militia said as she brought the attention back to why they were all here. “Please state your date of birth and the name of both parents and the nickname your father uses to call you.” she looked at Taylor. Trying to fully confirm her identity one final time.

Taylor was first confused at the last question. Pushing it aside she straightened herself on the chair getting ready to speak.

“June 11 1996 born to Annette Rose Hebert and Danny Hebert.” Taylor said. She could never forget that; Amy always pulled the ‘ I am older card’ to end arguments and her parents' names were her driving force to continue moving forward whenever she felt like quitting.

Then she hesitated slightly and drew a breath before saying “ Little owl .” with a shaky voice. She hadn't heard nor said that name in awhile. To her it became sacred only said in the quit nights when she was alone. With Armmaster's final confirmation that what she said was true they were now fully certain that this was the real Taylor Hebert.

“Before we continue may I ask how my father is doing?” Taylor spoke, her voice shaking once more as she hugged both her arms around herself and looked at both Miss Militia and Armmaster for an answer that won't leave her in heartbreaking tears. She prayed he was okay, not lying dead somewhere.

Miss Militia shared a brief look with Armmaster and hesitated, seeing as he made no input she then slowly considered how much information to tell the man's daughter without revealing any information that will definitely need the signing of several NDA's first. After all, Danny Hebert was currently a member of the Protectorate. Daughter or not at the moment until things were smoothed over later, secrecy had to be kept.

Taylor clearly saw that brief hesitation and was starting to think of the worst outcome. Miss Militia, noticing how her silence might be taken, quickly thought of a story to tell.

As she was about to reply, Dragon beat her to the punch. “After your disappearance your father joined New wave in storming the camp. Together along with the many search parties that were formed they searched everywhere they could. He attended every single meeting to discuss leads and even got some of the Dockworkers to assist in posting missing people pictures of you around the Bay. He also constantly went to the police for updates. When the case went cold he never stopped looking, never stopped believing you were still out there. He was also able to form a group that came together to support each other in dealing with loss.” she said.

“Your father deeply cares for you and he loves you Taylor. Your loss hit him hard.He has had some days when things were terrible and he wanted to give up but he always pulled himself together and stayed strong in the belief that you would come back. I’m certain he'll be beyond happy to have his little owl back at the nest.” Miss Militia said fondly with a joke of her own making at the end.

Sighing in relief and relaxing slightly from her previously tense posture;Taylor was trying her absolute best to not shed any tears but seeing Armmaster offer her tissues she knew she was failing miserably at the task. “Thank you.” she said as she took the tissue from Armmaster who nodded at her.

It was then that she felt a comforting blanket of warmth surrounding her like someone was enveloping her in a hug. She smiled warmly as she stroked her ring before she mentally sent a thank you to Amy.

Armmaster and Miss Militia waited patiently for Taylor to collect herself before continuing. “ Could you tell us everything that happened during your disappearance.” Dragon calmly asked. Ready to get to the point of why she was here and fully close this missing case once and for all.

Taking a breath then fixing her gaze on the camera once more before switching back to the heroes Taylor got ready to tell them what happened to herself and Amy those years ago. “It all began when ….”.

Chapter Text

19 December 2009

Brockton Bay

“Honey, is your father back yet? He's not picking up his phone and I've been trying to call him.” a woman's voice said on the phone.

The young girl holding the phone put the pen she was holding down and gave her homework a brief glance before answering “Nope. He's not back yet.” her childish voice stated.

She was currently home alone doing her homework before her mother called. She had first wanted to use the excuse of the phone call to stop what she was doing but decided against it. Her mother had promised ice cream if she was able to get everything done before she came back. So she mustered all the strength a girl her age could to finish homework from the one class she hated.

‘For the sake of ice cream she would face it all. As Alexander the Great once said : “There is nothing impossible to him who will try.” ’ she thought with a giggle.

Don't get her wrong she loved Maths class but Geometry sucks. Ms Hale would drone on and on about angles and she never understood a thing. It was like her mind decided to take a vacation whenever class started. She was happy her best,bestest friend Emma understood everything and would explain everything to her later.

Middle School was hard. She missed the days when she was the smarter one between herself and Emma.

‘At least she still sucks in Literature.’ Taylor mentally said tendending to her wounded ego. She hoped when they were both in high school she would go back to being the smarter one so that she could escape Emma and Aunt Zoe's relentless teasing whenever she asked for help.

‘It was embarrassing. It wasn't her fault her brain decided it was a good time to play hopscotch whenever Ms Hale started explaining Geometry. Why is Geometry about angles anyway? It has Geo in the name which means earth. Should we not be studying the earth instead of Co-interior angles?’ she thought in confusion.

A laughter from the phone, brought her back to reality. “ What's so funny?” she asked her mother curiously. “What's gotten you so lost in Wonderland Alice?” her mother joked.

It took a moment before she realised she was so deep in her thoughts she forgot she was on the phone with her mother. “I wasn't in Wonderland.” she replied in an embarrassed tone. “Why didn't you answer when I called little owl? I called you like twenty times and got no reply.” her mother teased. “What has you thinking so deeply?” she asked.

Blushing slightly and trying to hide her embarrassment from her mother she replied in a regal tone “ ‘Tis nothing more than a Queen contemplating her future.”. Her mother simply laughed again, letting the matter go for now, instead she asked “ Whatcha doin?” .

“Mom, are you okay?” Taylor asked with fake worry in her voice. “The University must have been giving you trouble today if you're butchering the English language.” she said with a laugh of her own.

Her mother simply faked whimpers and said “ My little owl is growing up way too fast. She's now talking back and laughing at her poor and worried mother. Oh… What has happened to my sweet and obedient girl? Is this the infamous teenage angst my other colleagues warned me about? Oh how mighty the strong have fallen. But worry not, this one has experience. I have faced hordes of teenagers already. This angst shall fall.” she ended her spiel with a flourish.

Taylor simply snorted with an ungodly sound before both mother and daughter broke out into delirious laughter.

“Seriously though, what are you doing?” her mother asked after calming down. Taylor thought of lying but decided not to after all her mother didn't raise a liar.

When she spoke she spoke honestly and whatever was on her mind. The other kids call her names and avoid her because of it but she didn't care about their opinions. Her parents taught her to never be afraid to speak her thoughts.

‘ I'm not rude. I'm honest. I just speak what's on my mind, even if most can't handle the truth. Afterall my words will either attract a strong mind or offend a weak one. I don't care about their stupid friendship anyway. I have Emma with me and she's the best.’ Taylor thought with a smile.

“I'm doing homework.” she answered. “You're not done yet? You must really not want that Ice cream.” her mother questioned.

“I'm almost done! In fact I'll be done by the time you come back.” Taylor quickly mentioned. She really really wanted ice cream today.

“Okay, okay there's no need to shout young lady.” her mother admonished her. “Sorry. I didn't mean to.” Taylor replied solemnly.

“Hey, quit it with that tone. You're now making me feel bad.” her mother replied.

Taylor smiled before asking “ Am I still getting that Ice cream if I finish before you get back?”

“ I don't know, are you?” her mother asked back.

Pouting Taylor said “Mommm.” with a petulant tone. Laughing Mrs Hebert reassured her daughter “ If you are done and most of your answers are correct. You can have your ice cream and you're allowed to stay up late playing games on the computer.”

Taylor squealed in joy before saying “ Thank you. Thank you. You're the best mom in the whole world.” Jumping in excitement Taylor felt a new sense of vigor. She was ready now.

“Sometimes I feel like you take me for granted.” Mrs Hebert mentioned wistfully. “Stop lying, you know I love you very much.” Taylor said warmly. “I love you to Taylor.” her mother replied.

“ I'm hanging up now. I'm at the crossroad. I'll see you when I get back, little owl.” her mother said. Taylor was about to say goodbye when she heard her father's car in the driveway.

Instead she said “Mom, wait. I can hear dad's car. You said you wanted to talk to him.” quickly trying to stop her mother from hanging up.

“Taylor it's okay I'll talk to him when I….” her words were suddenly cut off by a loud, impactful banging noise.

Taylor heard the sound of breaking glass, the loud grinding of metal over metal and the crumpling sound of metal bending. Startled, she quickly got up and put the phone closer to her ear to hear the slow skid of metal against asphalt as the car came to a stop.

“Mom.” she said. No one answered. She said it again, “Mom.” . Only silence greeted her. She was teary eyed and shaking now. “Mom please say something?” Again nothing.

She was shaking harder now and felt short of breath. ‘Why isn't she saying anything?’ she thought to herself. She heard the door opening signifying her father's presence. Her father could solve this.

‘ There's clearly something wrong with the phone. It's probably experiencing network troubles. Yes that's what that sound was. It's also the reason I can't hear mom. Dad will surely fix it.’ she thought in relief.

She took the phone and ran to the door. “ Dad, I think something's wrong with Mom.” she said quickly wiping away at her damp cheeks.

Her father simply stood at the door saying nothing. He was just staring at Taylor. “ Dad?” Taylor said, still clutching the phone closer to her ear hoping to hear her mother answer once the network issue was solved.

Her dad slowly moved closer and murmured something she couldn't hear. Taylor was now feeling scared and slowly moved back. ‘Was something wrong with her father?’ she asked herself. “Dad say something.” she asked her father. He said nothing, only slowly moving closer with a cold, unblinking blank stare.

Taylor backed away until she hit the wall. Terrified. Her father has never acted like this.

It was then that she heard something from the phone. Pulling it closer to her ear she asked once more “Mom?”. She heard a groaning noise on the other end before someone spoke
“It's your fault.” her mother's voice said.

The voice didn't sound right to her ears. It was raspy, had rough edges and it was mean.

Her mother was never mean to her. All she could say was “What?” dumbfounded trying to see if heard her mother right. This time the voice screamed into the phone “IT WAS ALL YOUR FAULT.” it spat with fury.

Throwing the phone away from her ear in pain ,Taylor was about to run to her room when she felt hands holding her in place.

Looking at her father, hoping and praying he would comfort her ,she didn't find any of it. Only a deep unsettling chill up her spine as she looked at her father terrified.

His face looked extremely old, withered with a bald head. His face was pale and gaunt with sunken cheeks, like someone who has been starved for a very long time.

It was also wrinkled and lipless revealing many serrated knife-like teeth. His one eye sunken and black with no white in place stared blankly at her. The other side of his eye was blank , there was nothing there ,only flesh that seemed to be on the early onset of necrosis.

The skin was pulsing, writhing as if something was moving beneath the skin. She could hear small squeaking sounds and when she looked closer she could see something furry, small. It looked like a rat. A small, bloody rat that was moving around her father's eyeless hole. Chewing at the skin there. Crawling in and out of view.

Taylor had never been so terrified and disgusted in her life before. ‘ This isn't real.’ she replayed those words over and over in her head like a praying mantra in tears hoping whatever this thing in the skin of her father would disappear.

But it didn't.

It simply held her closer and spoke with a deep animalistic sound enunciating each and every word “ YOU KILLED MY WIFE. IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT”

Taylor woke up thrashing with a scream pushing away all the blankets that kept her warm.

She quickly sat upright and brought her knees to chest crying audibly. It wasn't a beautiful cry not at all, it was a deep heartbreaking ugly cry. Filled with snot and blubbering as she slowly tried to regain awareness.

Taylor was trying her hardest to calm her erratic breathing, bawling eyes and pounding heart but she was struggling badly. The dream was still so vivid and oddly detailed in her mind.

The sound of metal crumpling, her mother's voice and her father's gruesome image were all still clear in her memory. It was all playing over and over tormenting her conscious mind.

Standing up blurry eyed Taylor took her glasses from her nightstand and wore them, then mentally went through the motions her therapist told to go through whenever she woke up like this.

‘Five things I can see. My hands , my bed , my books , my clothes and my blankets.
Four things I can feel. My shirt , my pants , my hair and my face.
Three things I can smell. My room , my books and my shirt.
Two things I can hear. My breathing and the cars outside.
One thing I can taste. My tears.’ Taylor mentally repeated these things like a lifeline until she felt some semblance of calmness or a grounding in reality.

Once she was certain she was okay or at least better. She went to the bathroom to relieve herself. Staring at her blotchy,red and puffy face with dark circles around her eyes in the mirror she simply sighed and washed her face.

‘This isn't the first time this has happened and won't be the last.’ she thought. When she was done she went back to her bedroom to check the time.

On her nightstand a clock stood with the time 04:37 am on its surface glowing in and out of existence, mocking her for being up so early when any other teen her age would still be asleep enjoying their school break.

Glancing away from it with a sneer Taylor thought of what to do now that she was obviously not going to fall asleep again.

Sighing again she went closer to her bookshelf and took The Count of Monte Cristo from her shelf and settled down for a long read.

Reading through the book she wondered how the whole story would have gone if Edmond had powers.

‘Would he still get imprisoned ? Or would he laser his way out and fly away to get revenge on those who wronged him?’ Taylor thought amused of Edmond being Eidolon in disguise.

Losing herself in the wonderful freeing world of Literature she only stopped when she heard her stomach grumbling in protest of having been unfed.

Grimacing, she half remembered that she never ate anything last night. It wasn't entirely her fault.

Her father had promised that he would come back with food and that she didn't have to cook. She had waited until eleven before hopelessly realising that he wasn't coming back.

It wasn't the first time he had taken late night shifts. She just wishes he had told her instead of making promises he couldn't keep.

Looking at the time it was now nine o'clock. She remembered she had told Emma she would come by later so she would have to get ready. Putting a marker on the book before closing it she stood and left for the kitchen.

Once she went down the stairs she looked into the living room.

‘ Honestly I don't know why I'm surprised anymore.’ Taylor mentally said dejectedly.

Her father was laying on the couch again with his work clothes on. Sighing once more she went closer.

‘He didn't smell like alcohol so he wasn't drinking. Must have passed out on the couch once he came back.’ she thought. During the early months since her mother's death her father started drinking. He would leave for work early and she'll wake up in the morning the next day to find him passed out on the couch or on the floor sometimes.

Then she'll help him back to his room. Watch him break down in tears calling her mother's name. Before passing out again.

It took her calling Emma's father to stop him from drinking. Watching the man she looked up to , the man who raised her look so broken and lost, inebriated. Made her hate -no loathe any and all types of drugs with passion.

At first she wanted to leave him alone and let him wake up sore as payback for letting her sleep hungry but in the end she decided against it. ‘ He probably got busy and forgot. And he didn't have a phone to call her.’ she justified.

Sometimes she wondered whether banning cellphones within the household was a good idea.

But then remembering how she froze up last week when Uncle Alan pulled out his phone to answer a call.

She really couldn't argue with the ban. She still gets a little nauseous every time she gets close to the house phone. Her therapist told her it was okay to be afraid that everyone develops fears after going through something traumatic.

But she didn't see it that way and she wasn't scared. It was just everytime she went close to one she could suddenly hear the slow skid of a car against asphalt all over again. Then she would feel short of breath, her heart would start racing and then the trembling would begin before regaining awareness to find herself crying in some corner. That wasn't fear.

‘What type of teenage girl would be afraid of cellphones in this day and age anyway?’ she contemplated.

‘ But then again what teenage girl has heard their mother die on the phone?’ another voice in her head said.

Sighing she stopped herself and shook those thoughts away. ‘ I'm sighing way too much today.’ she thought amused.

Looking at her father she decided to wake him. “ Dad.” she called. Seeing no reaction she got closer and shook him. “Dad.” she said louder this time.

Danny Hebert woke up with a yawn slowly looking around trying to clear the blur in his eyes and to figure out where he was.

Seeing his daughter standing in front of him he relaxed knowing he was home safe. “Taylor hey, what's up?” he said, stifling another yawn. ‘ Why am I so tired?’ he mentally asked himself as he stretched his neck out.

“ You fell asleep on the couch.” Taylor mentioned leaving out the unsaid ‘’again‘’ she almost added.

“Oh… Sorry about that.” Danny said sheepishly as he scratched his head. “ I came back very late. Must have been too tired then passed out on the couch. ” he said with another yawn. “ Won't do it again. Promise.” he said with a smile.

Taylor simply clenched her jaw and smiled “It's okay. You were tired. Go sleep in your bedroom, I can tell you're still sleepy.” she said.

She wasn't going to take his promise seriously. ‘ This wasn't the first time he fell asleep on the couch where she had to wake him up. At that time he made the same promise.’ she thought bitterly.

“Yeah I'll do that.” Danny said. Getting up he moved closer to his daughter intending to give her a hug.

Taylor first tensed when her father hugged her memories of the nightmare she had earlier came to mind before reassuring herself that this was real; that her father didn't have a rat eating away at his flesh.

Relaxing into the hug she also wrapped her arms around her father and said “ Love you Dad.” Danny smiled before letting go and ruffling Taylor's hair replying with “Love you to little owl.” amidst his daughter's annoyed grumbling.

For all his flaws Taylor still cared deeply for her father. Smiling to herself Taylor spoke “Okay, okay. You can stop now. You're yawning so much I'm afraid I would be able to see your stomach if I stared any longer. I'm about to eat breakfast. Please don't make me lose my appetite so early in the morning.”

“Who are you and what have you done to my daughter?” Danny said in a serious tone staring at Taylor.

Before they both broke out in laughter.

Wiping the corners of his eyes he simply messed with Taylor's hair again before leaving for bed. Taylor stood there watching him leave with a smile before moving to the kitchen to make herself some food.

‘What to eat , What to eat?’ she pondered. Before moving towards the fridge then she paused looking at what was inside.

Sighing she pulled out a container that held food she made for lunch for her father yesterday. She opened it. And there sat two sandwiches uneaten and cold. ‘Atleast he was lucid today.' she thought trying to push away the hurt and …maybe anger?

“Guess I have breakfast now.” she said out loud to no one in particular. After heating the lunch up she sat down and ate as quickly as she could hoping to finish and leave the house as fast as she could.

It was starting to feel suffocating being here.

By twelve she was done with everything and ready to head out. She left a note for her father so he shouldn't worry. Grabbing a jersey to fight away the chill winter air she left her home.

Starting her walk to Emma’s she took the time to look around. She had heard the ABB were looking to expand territory and her neighbourhood was dangerously close to the expanding areas.

Looking around and seeing no tags nor gang members she breathed a sigh of relief. She really didn't want to move or be forced out if they couldn't pay protection fees.

‘ Sometimes I wish Alexandria would fly by and kick Lung’s butt to the Birdcage. All our problems would be solved. But without Lung who will scare away the Empire from coming to claim this part of town. The Protectorate were pushed back by the Empire recently when they tried to arrest Purity.

But Armmaster was so cool. The way he chased Purity downtown with his motorbike while shooting down other members that tried stopping him. Then jumping off it before Purity could shoot him down only to land a devastating kick to Stormtiger.’ Taylor smiled in childish glee as she replayed last week's battle.

She definitely had to stop by the store tomorrow to check for some new hero merchandise.

Looking upwards tilting her glasses in the distance she saw one teenage girl carrying another and flying across the sky.

‘What were their names again?’ Taylor thought, staring at them as they flew past her.

She knew their names, they were at the tip of her tongue.

‘They are part of that family of parahumans called….?’ …What do they call themselves again?’ Taylor stopped walking as she probed her brain. She kept track of most of the news surrounding the Bay’s hero community. So she knew, she knew their names.

Snapping her fingers as she remembered ‘ They're called New wave. That's what the family is called.’ ‘But who are they?’ Taylor shrugged deciding she didn't want to give herself a migraine so early in the day.

She continued walking before she heard someone say “ Hey isn't that Glory girl and Panacea.” a teen way older than her standing in front of her said to his friend while pointing upwards.

‘ Glory girl? Does the woman hear how suggestive her name sounds.’ Taylor thought with furrowed eyebrows.

‘ Sometimes I wish I had powers. I would first clean up this town from all the bad guys. Then I'll fly around the world and stop bad guys there.’ Taylor lost herself to her thoughts as she came closer to her friend's house.

‘ Maybe if I had powers I could've saved Mom.’ Taylor suddenly stopped as this thought surfaced.

With it it brought the familiar suffocating sense of guilt she was running away from on a daily basis was slowly resurfacing.

She felt bile rise up her throat and thought of turning back. And simply going back to sleep. It was easier when she was asleep.

Well besides the occasional nightmares.

When she was asleep it was quiet, it was safe. Her mother was still alive reading to her and her Dad was still happy and aware all the time. Not the Dad she has now who is aware of her half the time and the other half he's staring right through her.

‘ He Probably blames you for what happened. That's why he refuses to look at you sometimes. You killed his wife and took away his joy. You're a terrible daughter. It should have been you in that car that day. Your mother deserved none. She was kind, loving and warm. You're nothing more than some rude, selfish and evil child who talks way too much for her own good. Those other kids were right to avoid you. How long till…’

“ How much time are you thinking of spending there?” a different voice from her own said breaking Taylor out of her spiralling thoughts

Taylor turned to see Emma standing in front of her with a smile.

Feeling her own smile forming she jumped into her friend’s waiting arms hugging her tightly. “Emmy. ” she said as she spun her friend who was shorter than her in her arms.

“What were you thinking of so deeply anyway?” another voice said. Still holding Emma's within arms she stopped and turned to see Emma's older sister Anne standing behind her with a worried look on her face.

Taylor didn't like people unnecessarily worrying about her so she lied to assuage Anne's worry “ I was thinking about last week's fight between the Empire and the Protectorate. It was awesome.” she with as much enthusiasm as she could vibrating with a fake sense of joy.

Anne relaxed after hearing this. ‘It was Taylor simply being her geeky Cape fanatic self.’ she thought. Her mother had asked her to look after Taylor and being the older sister that she is she took this situation very seriously. ‘Though Even if mom said nothing I would still have done it. Taylor is family. And family takes care of family,’ she mused.

Seeing Anne relax, Taylor breathed a sigh of relief. ‘I don't deserve your worry.’ her mind said.

Laughing to herself Emma finally let go of Taylor and asked “ What else besides Capes and books goes on in this skull of yours?” moving her hand to poke at Taylor's head.

Deciding to tease her friend a little. Taylor took Emma's hand and spoke “You.”.

It was then that Emma's brain decided to short circuit. “Uh.. I-I…” she mumbled half coherent words.

Anne decided to fan the flames higher so she said “Wow Taylor. Keep this going and you just might become my real sister in the future.” with a devilish grin on her face as she shared a look with Taylor.

Taylor watched as her friend's face gradually gained a red hue to compliment her hair with a smile. She was about to tease Emma some more to see how red her friend could get before Mrs Barnes interrupted them.

“Won't you come inside already. Or would you prefer to stay out here? “ she asked in a jesting tone.

Seeing her mother Emma rushed and clung onto her before saying “Mom! Taylor and Anne are being mean to me.”

Her mother simply smiled before looking at her daughter and saying “ Honey, please. If you want to lie, find a better one. Taylor is an angel unlike my devilish daughters.”

“Okay, that was just rude.” Anne said with fake annoyance. “ If anyone is a devil in this household it's obviously Emma and Emma alone.” she finished with a flourish before heading inside.

“Hey.” Emma squealed with indignation before chasing her sister.

Mrs Barnes smiled at her daughters’ shenanigans , opened her arms and spoke to Taylor. “Come here.” she said warmly.

Taylor rushed into her arms and returned the hug earnestly. She enjoyed moments like this. They always managed to push all the bad thoughts away. At this moment nothing else mattered.

“How have you been dear?” Mrs Barnes asked. Sometimes Taylor wished she could stay like this forever.

In this warmth, in this cocoon of safety but as the saying goes: All good things have to come to an end someday.

She let go because deep down she knew she didn't deserve this. ‘Emma deserves a good mother like Aunt Zoe. She didn't want to ruin any of it by taking her away from Emma. She doesn't deserve that.’ she thought.

“I'm okay.” she replied. “Come inside. I made cookies.” Mrs Barnes said with a smile.

Now, Taylor was excited. She greatly enjoyed Aunt Zoe's cookies and she was starting to get cold so she made her way inside before rushing into the kitchen.

Zoe simply chuckled at her deceased friend's daughter's enthusiasm. She was happy Taylor was still able to get excited like this. ‘Both Danny and Taylor were inconsolable for many months after Annette's death. I just hope they don't return to that state.’ she sighed before closing the door and made her way to the kitchen.

“Taylor, will you be staying for dinner?” Mrs Barnes said. “Nope. I told dad I'll come back early." She lied. ‘ The longer I stay here the harder it will be to leave.’ she thought.

“ How is your father doing anyway?” Zoe questioned. “Besides working late he's doing quite alright.” Taylor said in between bites of the cookies she was eating. “Wanna help me make dinner?” the woman asked.

Taylor wanted to refuse at first. Such an event reminded her way to much of the times she used to do the same thing with her own mother but seeing Aunt Zoe look at her so earnestly she simply agreed.

“Stay safe Taylor and tell Danny I said Hi.” Mr Barnes said as he dropped Taylor off. “Will do. Bye Uncle Alan.” Taylor said as she waved Emma's father goodbye.

Watching his car leave ,Taylor breathed a sigh of relief. She didn't know how much longer she could stay calmly in his car before freaking out. She may or may have not developed a minor phobia of car rides.

‘It only starts once I spend a lot of time in them.’ she thought.

After calming her racing heart , she turned and returned to her own domain.

Looking around she saw their unkempt yard and ignored it. ‘Lights are on.’ Taylor mused as she skipped the faulty step and entered the house. “Dad, I'm home.” she mentioned as she wandered her way to the kitchen with containers in hand. Courtesy of Mrs Barnes. It was the dinner she assisted in making. Only to find her father making dinner.

Danny Hebert woke up refreshed and decided to make dinner for once. He had a surprise for Taylor. He had wanted to give it to her earlier but he was still sleepy so he decided he would surprise her with it tonight. He would make her favourite and give her the news during dinner time.

Now , Danny knows he hasn't been around lately. But he could try to be better.

‘It was just every time I see Taylor. I see my dead wife or I'm thrown back into happier times when things were simple. And that always messed with his head.’ he thought.

Though he knew that this didn't excuse his behaviour recently. It has already been a year since Annette died. He knew he couldn't mope around more. ‘ I'll make it up to her. When she comes back from this camp. He would start over. He'll be there.’ he thought.

Taking all the necessary ingredients; pasta, mushrooms, garlic, mozzarella , tomatoes and finally meatballs he began with dinner but halfway he stopped. ‘ Annette would have probably kicked him out of the kitchen. She never did like cooking with others, that's probably where Taylor got it.’ he remembered with a smile before continuing.

Sometimes he blames himself for Annette's death. He should have answered the phone when she called. She was trying to reach him.

‘ Maybe if I answered Taylor would have not gone through the experience of hearing her mother die. Maybe Taylor would still have her mother and him his wife. Maybe she would still smile and laugh like she used to. When was the last time he had heard Taylor laugh?’ Danny thought. Shaking his head again to clear the familiar fog of depression starting to form he focused his energy to finish this.

First he took a frying pan, heated the oil and then threw in the meatballs. While they were cooking he cut up the garlic, tomatoes and mushrooms before adding them into the pan once the meatballs gained a brown colour. Waiting some more while the things fryed he then added the pasta and seasoned everything before closing the pot and letting everything simmer.

‘Next week is going to be hectic. He had to fire some people at work. The Docks aren't doing well and the Mayor refuses to have an audience with him to solve this issue. If someone could help in clearing the Boat Graveyard. Honestly, what was the point of heroes if many people still lost their jobs? Were they not meant to assist in maintaining the town. If people lose their jobs others resort to joining gangs to restore some sense of stability. Meaning more trouble for them’ he thought bitterly.

Waiting until the pasta looked tender he then added the mozzarella and waited as the cheese melted. He then heard Taylor announce her arrival. He smiled and turned to greet her only to stop noticing the containers she was holding.

‘ This is awkward.’ both father and daughter thought as they stared at each other in silence.

“ I'm going to put this in the fridge. We can eat it tomorrow.” Taylor said, breaking the silence.

“ You do that. I'll set up the table.” Danny said.

Taylor nodded before moving towards the fridge putting the food inside then turning and asking her father “What are you cooking?”

Taylor was surprised. It wasn't like him to be doing this. Usually by this time he'll be getting ready to leave for work or asleep. So Taylor was really surprised.

With a smile Danny looked at his daughter and said “ I made your favourite. Spaghetti and meatballs.” He finished with jazz hands.

“You didn't have to.” Taylor replied with a grimace. ’He really didn't have to. This dish stopped being her favourite the day her mother died.’ she thought.

“Well I realised that I haven't really been the best recently and I wanted to make it up to you. I'm really sorry Taylor.” Danny said honestly.

Taylor blinked slowly trying to make sure she heard her father right before she walked towards him and pulled him into a bone crushing hug. “I wasn't angry at you so you don't have to apologize for anything.” she murmured.

“Well I wanted to apologize anyway.” Her father replied before pulling away and saying “ Let's eat. Foods getting cold. And I have a surprise for you.”.

The Herbert's settled into the dinner table then they began eating. During their dinner Taylor recounted her day's events to her father while watching him with a grin.

Moments like this became a sort of rarity to her. Most of the time her father was either too busy, he wasn't lucid enough to sit down and eat with her or it was simply spent in silence as they both avoided looking at each other.

“ Well next time you go to Emma's. You should thank Zoe for me. Okay?” Her dad mentioned.

Taylor just shook her head before saying “Nope. Next time you should go with me so you can thank her yourself.”.

Danny just chuckled before agreeing. He was deeply thankful for all the support Alan and Zoe had given them. Glancing at the clock he smiled, looked at Taylor then asked “Ready to hear what your surprise is?”.

Taylor didn't like surprises that much but for whatever her father had to say she was getting excited. “Just tell me already. I'm dying of impatience here.” she groaned.

“Patience is a virtue, you know?” Her father replied with a chuckle. Taylor simply stared at him with wide eyes.

“So yesterday after work I bumped into Stephen. Do you remember him?” Danny asked.

Taylor wrecked her brain for a moment trying to recall the name before remembering where she knows it from. “Wasn't he mom's friend at work?” she asked.

“Bingo. So apparently he still lives in the area. After talking to him for some time I found out that he works at this other camp and he's a counselor there.” Danny said.

Taylor didn't like where this conversation was going. But she said nothing and let her Dad continue.

“Here's the surprise, after some back and forth I was able to get you a spot there. You young lady get to spend your Winter break at Glen's Winter Wonderland.” he concluded.

Taylor immediately felt all her excitement and enthusiasm drain away as she processed what her father had said.

‘He wants to send me away.’ Taylor thought. She immediately wanted to refuse. She wanted to scream ‘NO’ as loud as she could until she ran out of breath and her throat went course.

But she didn't, instead she looked at her father, truly looked at her father. His joyful, proud and warm facial expression waiting for her to reply.

She didn't want to start an argument now. Not when he went through the trouble of getting her this spot, not when he got up and made dinner, not when he apologized and promised to be better, not when he actually spoke to her and definitely not when he smiled so openly looking at her.

Not through her, not beyond her and not some memory of her. He genuinely looked at her and only her. She couldn't say no.

So she settled for the next best thing. She got up from her chair and went to hug her father. “Thank you. Thank you so much.” She said with tears in her eyes. These weren't tears of joy though just tears of an emotion she couldn't name at the moment.

“You're welcome little owl.” Danny said as he returned the hug. Taking his hands up he gently wiped at Taylor's tear ridden cheeks and kissed her forehead.

Taylor stayed in her father's arms for sometime before asking “When does it start?” as she moved back to her seat. “Next week. I think? I'll have to confirm with Stephen. He'll be going there with his children. He agreed to help with transportation.” Her father replied.

Taylor nodded and went back to eating. But she really couldn't stomach the food anymore.

“So, are you excited for high school next year?” her father asked.

“A little.” was her reply. Her mind was elsewhere.

Her father sighed they could never see eye to eye on this topic “Taylor are you sure about Winslow? I know Emma will be there. But you have to know it's not really the best. And if the rumours are true it could be very bad there.”

That brought Taylor out of her thoughts, ‘ How could he? First he signs me up for some camp without my permission. And is willing to send me away on Christmas. And now he wants me to leave Emma alone in that hell hole.’ she thought angrily.

“Dad, I'm not going to Arcadia if Emma isn't going with me. We already talked about this and you agreed to let it go.” she mentioned while stabbing at her plate.

“If the school is really that bad then I can't leave Emma to suffer alone like that. We both can try to transfer to Arcadia later on but during the first months next year I'm attending Winslow.” she said her tone final as she glared at her father.

Raising his hands in surrender Danny simply nodded and gave up. He would accept and respect Taylor's decision even if he didn't agree with it that much. Finishing his dinner he bade Taylor goodnight as she left the table. He took his time washing the dishes pondering on how he would handle the situation at work.

Slamming her door in anger once she reached her bedroom. Taylor let herself be consumed by her emotions. She let herself drown in them. Drown in :

Her anger for not refusing, her anger for the camp she now had to go to, her anger for stupid Stephen for meeting up with her father and her anger towards her father for bringing up the high school.

Her sadness that she wouldn't get to spend her remaining break home . Her sadness that she might not be able to see Emma and her family during Christmas. Her sadness that her mother couldn't be here to deny her father for her. And sadness that her mother wasn't here at all.

And drowning in disappointment. Disappointment at herself for hoping things might be better.

Pulling at her hair to bring herself out of the emotional turmoil she felt. Taylor wiped away the tears that were starting to form. Before removing her glasses and getting ready for bed.

She just needed to sleep now. She will deal with everything when she wakes up tomorrow. She just really needed to sleep now. Everything would be better once she was asleep. Climbing into bed, Taylor breathed in and out slowly as she fell asleep. She was really tired.

And has been for some time now.

Chapter Text

19 December 2009

Brockton Bay 

Dallon Household 

Early in the quiet morning of the Dallon household, a girl who had no right being up this early slowly and quietly left her own bedroom.

With purpose and a mission in sight she crossed the hallway and stopped in front of a wooden white door with the words ‘Amy’ scrawled over its surface.

Chuckling to herself, she stepped forward. Upon entering she first took sight of the mess. She decided to ignore it because she knew her own bedroom wasn't any better.

Sweeping her gaze across the room her eyes landed on her target. With a devilish grin she moved.

Like a predator stalking its prey, she moved or in her case hovered over the ground until she was close enough to ambush her prey.

Hovering over the human lump she got ready to commit what most would consider a war crime.

“Amy….Ammmyyyy…. Amy, come on Wake up.” She struck as she shook the human cocoon.

“What?” A disgruntled voice groaned out from the pile of blankets the owner was covered in. The owner of said voice was clearly not happy at being woken up right now.

They were currently on a school break. Being woken up when you don't want to during this time should be a crime punishable by law.

“A-M-Y.” The voice said again. This time taking the chance to slowly say each word. Quite loudly.

A muffled yell was heard before a messy brown haired girl under the blankets poked her head out, to glare at whoever was being annoying so early in the morning.

“There she is. Now get up.” The voice mentioned amused clearly not afraid of the look being sent their way.

Blinking some of the drowsiness away, with clear eyes Amy this time shot her sister a death glare. “Vicky you do know what school breaks are meant for right?”

“Whatever. Just get ready.” Victoria mentioned as she started hovering away from her sister's form. She stopped by the door and turned to look at Amy before declaring her final warning,

“If I have to come back here. I'm going to throw your blankets off you.”.

Hearing another muffled scream as a reply meant her threat was heard. 

Her mission was a success.

With a smile she shut the door and made way to the kitchen to wait. She truly hoped Amy didn't do as asked.

Once in the kitchen she thought of what to make for breakfast for the both of them. 

She eventually decided on sunnyside eggs and toast. And maybe bacon.

Humming to herself she began breakfast with the addition of occasionally flying to Amy's room to bang on the door. And ensure her sister didn't fall asleep again.

Meanwhile one Amy Dallon was having obvious troubles in getting up. She really didn't want to get up at all.

She was so warm at the moment. She eventually decided she would sleep for just a few more minutes.

“I don't hear any moving in there.” Her sister said as she banged on her bedroom door before leaving again. Yelling in her pillow once more.

She began debating on whether it would be a good idea to smother her sister with a pillow. After going through all the pros and cons, Amy finally got up.

Taking a look at her messy bedroom. Books and clothes both lying around in places they were not meant to be in.

She threw her entire room an annoyed glance. As if it was at fault for being so untidy. She would have to clean it before her mother sees it.

Glancing at her phone's time and seeing that it was still morning. And not the afternoon she was meant to wake up at. She really wanted to smother her sister.

Dreadfully leaving her bed she finally got ready and left.

“I was honestly about to come for you again.” Victoria said as her sister finally arrived.

Amy simply ignored her sister, went to the coffee machine, made herself some. Took a sip and took a breath before looking at her sister.

“Now you can Talk.” She mentioned as she sat down.

“You know coffee's bad for your heart and blood pressure right?” Victoria mentioned as she placed Amy's breakfast in front of her.

“Tell me again who's the one taking medical classes between the two of us?” She grumbled between bites of her toast.

“Touche.” Was all Victoria could say to that.

“Okay, why’da wake me up for anyway?” Amy asked, definitely still not angry about it.

“We talked about this yesterday.” 

‘What happened yesterday? Was at the hospital shadowing Dr Ziegler for most of the morning. Then I went to the library to get some books for reference before coming back home in the evening. Ate dinner then went to study some more before falling asleep at some point. 

When did Vicky speak to me?’ Amy thought as she recounted her day. She doesn't really remember seeing Victoria at all yesterday. 

She left before her sister woke up. Her mother woke her up early and drove her to the hospital. She ate dinner in her room. So she really didn't see her sister at all yesterday.

“I don't remember, when was that?” She asked.

“I came into your room around 10. We sat and talked. You agreed.” Victoria mentioned now giving her sister a worried look. Now that she thought about it:

‘Amy has been working harder than her recently. She's been juggling normal school, medical school and shifts at the hospital.

It has been like this since she triggered. Maybe I should let her sleep this one out.’ 

It's not like she wasn't doing anything. She's been training her flight and strength. On top of dealing with patrols and school and PR and a boyfriend.

They both have been busy. That's why Victoria woke Amy up. They were both free today and she had planned to go out with her sister and spend some time together. She had asked Amy about it yesterday and her sister agreed.

But seeing Amy now she was having second thoughts.

Listening for the telltale signs of her parents' presence and hearing nothing.

“Where are Mom and Dad?” Amy asked, bringing Victoria's attention back to her.

“Mom's at work and Dad's probably still asleep.” Victoria said before adding, “ Do you still want to go?”.

Amy, still unsure on what her sister was talking about, simply agreed. It's not like she had anything better to do.

She was about to ask where they were going but Victoria's phone rang. Her sister took the phone and left the kitchen to answer it.

This left Amy to her thoughts. She started mentally reviewing yesterday's case as she finished breakfast.

‘Patient had an enlarged spleen, experienced vision problems and upon touching him a higher number of red blood cells than normal.

Dr Ziegler didn't know the cause. But after looking closer I found out he had a tumor growing in his kidney. Possible cures include surgery to remove the kidney, freezing the tumor or using radio waves to destroy it.

Why am I thinking of this? It's my day off today. And I can simply kill the tumor by touching the man. Why do I need to learn all of this? It was all pointless drivel.’ 

Leaning her head on the table she took a breath and held it, then released it. She was going to enjoy her time off.

‘She wasn't going to think about the hospital. She wasn't going to think of her classes. She was going to relax and enjoy her day.

The problem with this is that she really doesn't have any hobbies anymore. Ever since triggering and figuring out her powers things have just been a whirlwind of activity.

She didn't really have time for herself anymore. Her mother made sure of that.

So what was she going to do today?’ Im just to sleep it out.

Sighing she lifted her head to see Victoria coming back. She had a frown on her face meaning whatever talk she just had wasn't good at all.

“Everything okay?” She asked.

Her sister didn't answer for some time before looking at her replying, “ …..You remember the thug I incidentally hit too hard.”

Amy nodded of course she remembered “ I healed him. So yeah.” 

“I think Mom finally found a punishment.” her sister mentioned with a grimace.

“What is it?” Amy asked curiously. Punishments for Victoria were rare. So she was really curious about what their mother decided.

“She signed me up for some stupid winter camp.” Victoria said angrily.

This news made Amy pause and her expression turned sour.

‘Let me get this straight You're angry because you get to spend your time at a camp as punishment. You're basically being sent on a vacation and you're angry.’ Amy thought bewildered and maybe a bit jealous.

If she made mistakes her mother would yell at her nonstop. She would criticize her and go through every wrong thing she has ever done.

And if Carol was having a particularly bad day she would sometimes get harsh in her criticism.

And she couldn't make mistakes. She couldn't afford to. For her a mistake is the difference between life and death. People's lives were in her hands.

The hands of a child.

‘Vicky is allowed to make mistakes. She's their real daughter after all. When she makes mistakes all she'll get is a slap on the wrist.

When I do it I'm lectured. I'm lectured by someone who knows next to nothing about medicine.’ She slowly clutched at her wrist, nails digging into her forearm.

“How could she do something like that?” She said to her sister trying to console her and forget about her own anger.

“I know. Fucking Unbelievable.” Victoria said as she threw her hands in the air in frustration.

‘It's not like she killed the guy. It was his fault anyway. If he didn't want his shoulder broken he should have given up when she gave him the chance.

I don't even know why mom is making such a huge fuss about it. The guy was a criminal. He should've learnt that crime doesn't pay.’ She thought in frustration.

“Ready to go?” She asked Amy. She needed a moment out. A chance to breathe.

Amy was first confused then suddenly remembered she agreed to go somewhere with Victoria. 

‘There goes my vacation. I guess.’

“Let me change. I'll be back.” she mentioned as she left for her room.

Back in her messy room Amy thought on what to wear. Scouring the floor and her wardrobe she finally found what she was looking for.

Her favourite hoodie.

A nice and warm black hoodie with white sleeves and a wilting rose on its front. It was a gift from her Aunt Jess.

‘An outsider like her.’ 

“So where we heading?” She said as she muffled a yawn. 

“ To the mall. We're going Christmas shopping.” Her sister replied pacing in the air in anger.

She really didn't like what her mother just did. She had plans of her own. She didn't want to be stuck with random kids.

“Aren't you meant to do that on Christmas or the day before?” Amy questioned.

‘ I mean if you aren't atleast name it something not so misleading.

Like shopping for christmas.' Amy thought.

“Doesn't matter if I'm not going to be here.” Victoria snapped. Amy subconsciously took a step back and tensed.

Now Amy would definitely like to admit that she didn't flinch just now. But she did. She momentarily saw her mother standing in front of her. And panicked.

She doesn't like dealing with angry people. Or desperate people. Most especially desperate people. They were the worst.

With their begging, screaming and threats. 

Trying to calm her racing heart and possibly stop herself from having a panic attack in front of her sister. She focused on who was in front of her. Her sister. Not her mother. Not those people.

‘I haven't done anything wrong.’ She repeated this mantra over and over as clutched the sleeves of her hoodie.

Not noticing much, Victoria simply said “Let's go.” 

Once and only once she was certain that she wouldn't stutter as spoke , she asked, “Are we taking the bus there?”

“Nope. We're flying.” Her sister replied with a grin.

Flying over Brockton Bay, Amy couldn't help but admire the sight. It wasn't the first time she flew over the city but the sight still managed to amaze her.

From the imposing Oil Rig in the distance. To the polished and clean suburbs and the decaying and dying outer layers of the city. The dreary boat graveyard. And the different warehouses all over the area.

Some long abandoned and the others refurnished into gang hideouts.

Even the people moving around from place to place minding their business were funny to look at.

They were so small. So insignificant. 

Sometimes she was jealous of Vicky's ability to fly. The ability to soar so high, so freely.

With her powers she was stuck. Chained to one rhythm. Heal and move on to the next. She wasn't allowed to do anything else.

She sometimes wonders what would have happened if she triggered with the same powers as everyone else in the family. 

Would she also be free? Or would her mother finally look at without fear or disgust.

“You're quiet. Is everything okay?” Victoria mentioned breaking Amy out of her thoughts.

Looking at her sister who was taller, prettier and sociable. Had more freedom than her. Had more friends. Had cooler powers. And received their mother's love.

Amy couldn't help but feel jealous. Why couldn't her power work on herself? She could just change herself to fit in. But no. She can change anyone but herself.

“Ammmyyyy.” Victoria said.

“What?” Amy finally said. Taking notice of Victoria's worried look.

“ If you want to go back it's okay. We can go out another day.” Victoria commented. Her sister's silence since leaving the house was worrying.

“It's fine. We can still go. I'm just distracted.” Amy mumbled. “How far are we anyway? I'm starting to get cold up here.”

“I could fly faster?” Victoria mentioned sarcastically.

Amy scoffed, “ Unlike you. I don't have a shield around me. I'll freeze if you decide to go any faster.”

Chuckling to herself Victoria started cruising at a lower distance, “How about now?”.

“You moving lower won't change anything.” 

“Then good thing we're here.” Victoria muttered as she landed slowly on the ground, “Thank you for flying with Glory Airlines. This is your pilot Victoria. We hope you had a safe and enjoyable flight.”

Amy snorted before breaking out in giggles.” That was horrible.”

“Hmm. It got you laughing so I think it was amazing.” Victoria mentioned as she stroked her chin. ‘ There that's how you should be all smiles.’ 

“You're Glory girl right?” A voice asked.

Turning around, a young girl stood behind them. The girl shook in joy as she stared at Victoria. She was an obvious fan.

“Yep. That's me.” Victoria answered as she puffed her chest out. Subconsciously releasing her aura which caused more people to flock to their area.

Amy was never truly one for attention. So amidst the chaos. She quietly moved away from the scene. She stood aside and waited for her sister.

Looking at the gentle sloshing of the sea, Amy couldn't help but wish she just stayed at home.

After some time Victoria, done with her fans, started moving towards her sister's direction.

“There you are.” Victoria exclaimed from behind Amy.

“You done.” Amy mentioned as she moved closer to her sister. 

“Yeah. Come on.” Her sister said, tugging Amy towards the mall entrance.

“Who's that?” The same girl from earlier asked, pointing at Amy.

“This wonderful person here is my amazing sister. And hero Panacea.” Victoria announced, pushing Amy forward.

“Pan… - who?” The girl asked, staring at Amy curiously. “ Can you fly?”

“It's Panacea. And nope I can't fly.” Amy corrected the girl and answered her question.

“So what do you do then?” the girl asked in confusion.

“Aahhh ... .I heal.” Amy muttered shyly. Her powers didn't end at just healing. There was so much more she could do.

But she wasn't allowed to do anything else. Her mother told her power was healing. And only healing.

So that's what her power is healing. She's a healer nothing more nothing less.

The little girl was fully confused. She was a big fan of New wave. Mostly Glory girl. But she still loved them all. 

If anyone were to ask her what word she thought of when someone mentioned New wave. Her answer would be Flight and blonde.

Looking at the older girl in front of her who doesn't have any of these features. She looked at Glory girl and asked, “ Are you sure she's your sister?”

Now Amy has never been punched in the gut before. But the girl's question made her feel it.

She knew that she wasn't really the biological daughter of Brandish and Flashbang. But having that fact thrown back into her face was gut wrenching.

‘But it was the truth wasn't it. She isn't one of them. She never was, would never be. Carol was right. She was a mistake.’ 

To mask the hurt, Amy laughed. “We get that alot. I'm adopted.”

“Yep she is but that doesn't make her any less. She's still my favourite and only sister.” Victoria mentioned, both hands on Amy's shoulders as she smiled at her.

Amy didn't know why but her heart might have skipped a beat.

Smiling, she stared at Victoria and declared, “Sorry, Crystal's my favourite.”

Aghast Victoria glared at her sister, “ She's not even your sister.”

“Then can I have your autograph too?” The young girl mentioned excitedly giving Amy a book that had already had her sister's signature at its front.

Taking the book she quickly wrote her own signature and gave the girl her book back.

“Thank you.” The girl said before hugging Amy and taking her leave.

“Now, let's get going. Shopping for Christmas waits for no one.” was Victoria's muttered response as she flew closer to the entrance.

Turning Amy followed her inside. And if one were to look closer, her step had spring to it.

As they were flying back home from their eventful mall trip an idea suddenly struck Victoria.

“ Hey, Why don't you come with me?”

“Come where?” Amy questioned.

“The camp.” her sister stated.

Amy sighed, “Mom's not going to agree.”. Amy knew her mother,she truly wasn't going to agree.

“Don't worry about that, I'll convince her.” 

Laughing, Amy mentioned “Knock yourself out. But nothing you say will change her mind.”

“Challenge accepted.”

The rest of their flight was spent in silence. Staring at horizon over the sea Amy thought of tomorrow. It was back to work for her.

‘Today was nice.’ Amy thought. Even though what happened today wasn't part of her plan. She enjoyed herself.

“What's that?” 

Hearing Vicky speak Amy turned her head to look at the direction where she was pointing at.

Squinting, Amy saw a couple trying to forcefully enter what looked like a jewelry store.

Seeing an opportunity to work off some steam and maybe get back in her mother's good graces Victoria flew lower and closer to the scene.

“I'm gonna go stop them.” Putting her sister down she suddenly flew towards the robbers.

“Vicky wait…..” Amy said.

But Victoria ignored her. Stopping herself from following Amy hid herself behind an alley. That was her routine. She didn't have any fighting experience so she would be a liability if she tried to interfere.

Flying above the criminals, Victoria suddenly screamed, “Stop.”

In surprise the couple turned to look at her. Surprise soon turned into the couple arming themselves preparing for battle. They weren't going to leave without the loot.

“I'm giving you the chance to stop everything. NOW.” Victoria said threateningly slowly hovering closer and higher towards the couple.

“Fuck off. I don't want to hurt you girlie.” The man mentioned pulling out a gun and giving it to his girlfriend. He then pulled out a knife and pointed it at Victoria.

“Suit yourselves then.”

Turning up the dial on aura, she projected an outside force of extreme terror into the couple. The couple first froze in fear. From fear then came desperation.

The woman started firing her gun at Victoria in a bid to stop her. Victoria flew higher to avoid the shots before dropping low enough to fly straight to shoulder tackle the man.

The man took a nasty tumble as the force from Victoria's tackle flipped him over.

The woman momentarily stopped shooting in fear of hitting her boyfriend. Taking the opening in her pause Victoria flew towards the woman and held hand.

She then spun around and threw the woman towards a parked car on the sideway. The woman hit the car then fell to the floor groaning in pain as she clutched her sides.

“That's how it's done. You should have listened when I gave you the chance.” Victoria gloated then turning off her aura she called out, “Amy. You can come out now.”

Hearing her sister's call Amy poked her head out the alley way she was using as her hiding spot.

Taking stock of the situation: her sister unharmed and the two strangers down. She cautiously moved closer to her sister.

“Call the police on your phone. I left my own at home.” She mentioned once she was close enough to not have to scream.

Heeding her sister's advice Victoria pulled out her phone and dialled the police. After confirming their location she hung up.

“Maybe we should tie them up or something?” Amy asked after her sister hung up the call.

Looking around, “You have anything to tie with?” Victoria questioned.

“I'll just knock them unconscious.” sighing she first moved closer to the woman. Upon contact she found out that the woman had a few broken ribs. Healing then knocking the woman unconscious she moved to her next patient.

Coming near the man, he suddenly got up and pulled her closer. Brandishing his knife he held it to her neck. “Step back or I slit her throat.” The man screamt furious.

He pulled her backwards until he was close enough to his girlfriend again. Seeing her unconscious form only served to make him angrier.

Pulling the knife a little too close he gave Amy a nice little nick to her neck.

Amy was now face to face with the type of people she hated dealing with.

The desperate.

“If you don't move your fucking hands of my sister. I am going to break them off.” Victoria threatened once more taking flight.

The man simply pulled Amy and held the knife closer. “If you don't move back NOW. I'm going to gut her.” He mentioned moving the knife to his hostage’s stomach then back to her throat.

Victoria reluctantly took a step back. Clenching her hands into fists she glared angrily at the man.

Amy was terrified. Feeling the cold metal scrap at her neck. She tensed and started packing.

This was one of the reasons why she didn't do any patrols and simply stayed at the back. She wasn't like the others. She didn't have shields or lasers.

That and the fact that Carol would never allow her.

It was also one of the reasons why she didn't like going to the hospital sometimes. The fear of someone else holding her own life in their hands.

Shaking, she thought of the many scenarios that might end with her bleeding out on the street. She was still in contact with the man so she could also see the same fear symptoms she was showing at the moment.

The man was currently running on fear and desperation.

Before losing herself in her spiralling dark thoughts she remembered her powers weren't only healing.

As she was about to knock the man unconscious, Victoria suddenly released her aura again and upped the fear in the man and herself.

Terrified, the man prepared to slice her throat but she got to him first.

But instead of simply knocking him unconscious like she was meant to, she let her fear take over and did something worse.

She pushed her power deep into the man's brain and ruptured a blood vessel. She gave him an aneurysm.

Dropping his knife the man suddenly clutched his head in pain screaming. His vision got blurry before falling unconscious.

Amy knew if she didn't do anything the man would most likely not make it out alive. But as she stood there staring at his unconscious form she couldn't help but feel elated.

‘ The man was clearly a criminal. She would be doing the world a favour if she let him die. What she was doing wasn't wrong.

He threatened to kill her and Vicky. He deserved to die.’ Amy truly considered letting him die.

The sound of a police siren shook her out of her stupor. In fear realising what she was about to do. She sidestepped her sister and dropped close to the man.

She started fixing whatever she could. Ignoring Victoria's calls, she repaired blood vessels, she stopped the internal bleeding. She checked the man over and over.

‘He couldn't die. If he did then her mother was right. She is a monster.’

“A-A..my…Amy….A…AMY.” Her sister said as she shook her. “ Breathe Amy. It's all over.” Victoria exclaimed, hugging her sister.

Victoria held her sister close as she broke down apologising and calling herself a monster.

“Hey you're not a monster okay. You're my sister. Amelia Dallon. Kickass healer. And maybe an emo on the side. But still my sister and definitely not a monster.” She reassured her sister.

Once the police got there she quickly told them everything. She then took her sister who was calmer but now had an empty look on her face and flew them home.

Today was an eventful day.

After arriving home Amy decided to forgo dinner.

She left before her mother could see her and locked herself in her bedroom. Both herself and Vicky made the decision to keep what happened a secret.

Victoria wouldn't receive punishment for an unsanctioned patrol. And her mother won't know what she did.

She threw her hoodie to the floor before getting in bed.

Trying as hard as she could to sleep. She just couldn't.

What happened earlier was still so fresh in her mind. She was still shaking. The problem wasn't that she was afraid.

No, she felt lighter. More free. Whatever she did with her power made her euphoric. 

And that was what disturbed her. The elation she felt. She felt disgusted. 

She tried to think of something else but nothing came to mind.

Her mind wandered before landing on her sister. Her sister who was warm and kind. Her sister who was strong and athletic. Her sister who was tall and pretty. Her sister who was funny and fearless.

She fell asleep to thoughts about her sister but not before making a promise to herself: 

She would never touch brains again.

Chapter Text

20 December 2009

Brockton Bay 

Dallon household

The ear piercing, annoying, anger inducing, dream stealing noise of an alarm woke Amy up for the day. 

It was a new and beautiful day today. She jumped out of bed and started stretching. She was looking forward to Today. It was back to work after all. She was excited for today's classes. While doing her 23rd push up she was naming all the human bones.

Forget all the above, Amy didn't do any of those things. She wasn't like that. After turning off her alarm she simply turned and fell back asleep.

Only to be awoken the second time by her secondary alarm. Her phone.

Twisting and turning, while groaning out ‘Why.’

She poked her hand out and shut her phone up. Checking the time and yelling in her pillow afterwards.

After the tantrum she was throwing she finally got up. She couldn't stay any longer. Even though she really really wanted to. Staying any longer was totally in the area of pushing her mother's boundaries and patience.

She really didn't want to anger her so early in the morning. It would not only ruin her mother's day but also her own.

Doing her morning routine as quickly as possible she dressed herself in her Cape costume. 

It was an unsightly thing to her. Too bright and all the wrong colours. It made her stand out . Something she wasn't a big fan of. 

‘ I mean I'm in a family of ousted Capes. Wasn't subtlety thrown out the window a long time ago?’

Donning her costume she wondered why she wore it. Everyone knew who she was.

‘So did it make a difference if she came in casual clothes?’

Finally in her Panacea garb she left her room.

Moving down the stairs she decided to play a game of: how is her mother feeling today?

‘ There she is.’ she thought as she caught sight of her.

Her mother sat at the kitchen table bathed in the golden,warm light streaming through the window. But the light didn't make her angelic at all.

She was imposing and intimidating at the same time. An image she presented to the public. 

But to Amy, she was just cold. There was nothing striking about her. Half of the time she was certain her mother was a devil in disguise.

She had all the traits. She had powers and influence. She was cunning and intelligent. She was prideful. She was deceitful. An accuser and a tempter.

All she was missing were the horns and wings. And tail.

The funny part was that she could give her all of that.

“Good morning.” Amy greeted as soon as she stepped inside.

Her mother said nothing. Not acknowledging her presence at all she just continued looking at all the Manila folders that surrounded her.

Amy took a breath of relief. Her mother ignoring her was when she was the easiest to deal with. So today was going to be okay. As long as she didn't mess up.

If she were to rank her mother's moods from worst to easiest to deal with it would be: 

1. Confrontational 
2. Insincere care
3. Disgusted 
4. Stern
5. Indifference 

It's a shame that that's the only expressions she has ever received from her mother. When they are alone that is. In Front of the others she was all smiles.

‘See deceitful. Maybe my devil comparison wasn't that far off.’

But it was better like this. Her mother would simply drive her to the hospital and back. No words exchanged. It was perfect.

She learned long ago that she shouldn't expect any change in her mother's behaviour towards her. As long as she was good she was safe.

Making herself breakfast she started planning out her day. She usually arrived at the hospital at 8:30 am.

The first two hours were spent shadowing Dr Ziegler. Then she was left to her own devices for about an hour.

Then it was three or four hours spent healing. A study session with general practitioner Dr Shepherd soon followed for about an hour or two.

Then she would wait for her mother or sometimes on rare occasions her father to fetch her.

‘That's how her Winter break began. With more studying.’

Finishing her toast making she took a seat furthest from her mother and dug in.

They both spent the first few minutes in relative silence. Her mother pausing what she was doing and staring at her caused her to tense.

Internally cursing, she took note of her mother's unhappy expression. Not her usual ‘I'm ignoring you.’ unhappy face.

But a ‘you did something you weren't meant to do.’ unhappy face. She tried remembering any wrong thing she might have done recently but came up blank.

‘ Unless she knows about yesterday.’ a voice in her head commented. She immediately denied this notion.

If her mother knew what she did. She would have barged into her room yesterday and confronted her about it, not wait till the next day. 

And Vicky swore to secrecy. Her sister wouldn't betray her trust like that.

Not knowing what wrong thing she did she braced herself for whatever commentary her mother would say.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” Carol mentioned finally breaking the silence. Staring Amy down she waited for her response.

“What?” Was all Amy could say in confusion.

“Just how selfish can you be?” Her mother said, “After everything we have done for you. Giving you food and clothing. Paying for your school fees. And lessons for your medical classes. Letting you stay here…”

Chuckling she added, “ Is that just not enough for you? Do you still have to be so greedy?”

“What d-did I do wrong?” Amy asked, voice shaking. And nearly in tears she was starting to panic. ‘I didn't do anything wrong.’ her personal mantra was repeated over and over in her head.

Slamming her hand onto the table Carol raised her voice a little, “ What do you mean ‘what did I do wrong’ ? Why are you acting like you don't know?” 

Flinching from the sound, Amy started pushing herself backwards but she was trapped in her chair.

Standing from her seat Carol moved closer to Amy. Amy gripped the sides of her chair tighter as her mother got closer.

She knew that she shouldn't say anything right now as it would be used against her. Or simply just make things worse for her. But she asked, “ What are you talking about?”. 

She wanted to know what she did wrong so she could apologize for it. It didn't matter if she did it or not. Taking the blame and apologizing was the easiest way to resolve the matter.

Once close enough her mother stood tall staring her down. “Do you know what Victoria said at dinner? She asked if you can come with her.She practically begged for you to come with her at the camp.”

“I-I d-didn’t ask her to do…” As Amy was about to explain herself her mother disturbed her.

“Shut up.” Her mother shouted. Causing Amy to immediately shut her mouth.

“You don't speak until I am done. You hear?” Her mother mentioned sharply.

Amy nodded, refusing to anger her mother more. “Good atleast there's something else you are good at besides causing problems.”

“After I said no to her. Do you know what she did? She declared that she isn't going anywhere if you aren't. She talked back and argued with me. Her mother.Victoria never does that.” She clarified.

“So now you're corrupting and making my daughter talk back to me. And you made me look like the bad guy in front of my husband and daughter.”

“S-orry, I …” 

“I said SHUT UP.” She screamt slamming the table again. Taking a hold of Amy's head she made her look at her, “ Do these ears of yours work?” She mentioned tapping at her ears.

“This was meant for Victoria to learn that actions have consequences. But you just had to feel greedy and selfish right?” Letting go of Amy's head she held her shoulders.

“Tell me. How is Victoria going to learn anything if you're there distracting her? How is she going to learn how to be better? 

Tell me Amy. Do you really hate Victoria so much that you're willing to sabotage her?”

Amy was definitely crying now. “Mom, I didn't…” she blubbered before her mother cut her off again.

“Ma'am.” She said. Looking up Amy asked, “What?”

“I'm not your mother. So call me Ma'am.” She clarified, glaring at Amy.

Seeing the angry and unsympathetic look her mother, no Carol was giving her Amy just hung her head low. Made herself look as small as possible.

“I'm sorry ma'am.” She apologized. 

She didn't understand why Carol hated her. She tried,she really tried to make her mother love her. 

She listened to everything she told her and asked no questions. She has never complained about anything. She has never asked for anything.

And everything became worse once she got her powers.

‘Am I still not doing enough?’

Carol sneered letting Amy go she mentioned, “ Go get your shoes we're leaving. And don't worry about the camp, I'll pay for you as well. Next time try not to be so selfish.” 

“Yes Ma'am.” she mentioned.

Carol moved away from Amy, took her folders and left the kitchen.

Amy didn't wait. As soon as Carol left she also left. Closing her bedroom door she began looking for her shoes in a rush while trying to keep the tears at bay.

‘She wasn't going to cry. She wasn't. Her tears have never helped her. She wasn't going to cry. She was going to get her shoes and meet her mother…Carol in the car. 

She wasn't going to keep her waiting. She wasn't going to make her angrier.

She wasn't going to cry.’ she thought, wiping angrily at her cheeks and eyes as looked for her shoes.

She was Panacea now. Happy healer. Not Amy. With a smile she put on her shoes and left her bedroom. 

‘She was going to do more. Yes, she'll work more. She'll study hard to get her licence. Then she'll be allowed to heal freely. She is going to help many people.

And maybe then her mother would love her.’

Hebert household 

Taylor was currently enjoying her morning. Book in hand and a cup of tea at her side. Bonus: her father had already left for work.

She really didn't want to deal with him after yesterday. She was still angry about it.

So today, she had the house to herself. She was going to spend the whole of today in bed with a book by her side.

Would other kids consider this boring and a waste of time? Of course they would. For them, holidays meant spending time outside. Playing and whatnot.

But she was different. She was an intellectual. What was the point of freezing your ass outside? 

It's not like you couldn't play inside. Where it was warm. Plus she needed to do research on “Glen's Winter Wonderland.”. The stupid camp she was going to be stuck at for an extended period of time.

She was honestly dreading her eventual conversation with Emma. The conversation won't end well.

She took a sip of her tea and flipped a page. Today's read was The curious case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde.

Reading through the book she was struck with a brilliant thought.

‘ The duality of Mr Hyde and Dr Jekyll could it be applied to Capes?’

This thought sent Taylor spiralling. It was so profound.

‘ Are there Capes who badly disassociate themselves that they end up creating second personalities?

Capes who believe that the person in the mask is a totally different person from the one outside. 

Capes who justify their wrong doings by blaming their Cape persona instead.’

By mid afternoon she was almost done with the book. Her stomach grumbling caused her to stop. She sadly put her book down and left for lunch.

Humming to herself while making PB and J a knock on the door caught her attention. She wasn't expecting anyone. And nobody was supposed to come. The Barnes had keys they wouldn't knock. And Dad's friends don't come here if he isn't here.

Grabbing a knife she slowly moved towards it.

Slowly opening the door she took sight of who was behind it.

“Heeyyy. Gonna let me in?” Emma, her best friend, mentioned with a smile.

“Emma, what the heck?” Taylor asked, allowing her friend in. “You have house keys. Why did you knock? You almost scared the shit out of me.”

Ignoring her friend, Emma skipped inside and went towards the kitchen. “Are you eating lunch now?” She asked, turning to look at Taylor.

“I was reading.” Taylor justified.

Smiling mischievously, Emma took a seat at the table and took a bite out of Taylor's lunch. “This is good. Thanks.”

Shocked, Taylor stared at Emma, “You didn't.”

Laughing Emma pointed at Taylor, “ Your face right now is hilarious.” 

“Plus you can make yourself some more.” She added while taking another bite.

Taylor wanted to be angry at her friend but she couldn't muster the strength to do it. She took more bread and started making her lunch again.

“So what brings you here? Not that I'm complaining or anything.” Taylor asked.

“Is it wrong for a friend to come see a friend?” 

Taylor raised an eyebrow, a look of disbelief plastered on her face.

“Finneee. Mom and Dad wanted us to visit Grandma and grandpa. And I clearly didn't want to go. So I told them you needed my help with some homework you weren't able to finish.” Emma muttered dramatically.

“You are aware that I'm usually the one who gets their homework done first right? And next year is high school so what homework do we have?” Taylor questioned, amazed at the pure idiocy her friend just showed. This was why she couldn't let Emma go to Winslow alone.

Someone was going to take advantage of her weakness and corrupt her.

Since Emma was here she thought of telling her the news now.

“Good for you. And I didn't think this lie through. But now I understand why Mom was laughing at me as she bid me goodbye. She says hi by the way.” Emma laughed at herself.

“So what were you planning on doing today Taytay?”

Taylor snorted, “That nickname is still stupid.” she mentioned.

“Hey, it took me a long time to come up with this. And I think it's cute.” Emma justified her case. “ And don't change the subject.”

“ I was just going to read. Emster.” Taylor said finally done she took a seat and began eating.

“Emster?” Emma asked.

“I can do better. There's Emmy or Emmie. Or Ems. Including Em.” Taylor mentioned trying out different nicknames. “And if you want cute, there's Emmie pie.”

Chuckling Emma questioned, “ Has anybody told you that you're a dork?”. Pausing she then added, “ And if you promise to not call me Emmie pie. I'll stop calling you Taytay.” 

“Yes I've been called a dork before. By you Emmie pie.” Taylor mentioned with the biggest grin ever.

“Do you want me to spoil the new series you are reading?” 

Realising that she was now in a hopeless battle she conceded, “ I'm sorry. I'll stop.”

Smug and utterly satisfied with her victory, Emma posed another question, “ Have you guys already brought gifts yet? I saw Anne hiding something in her room yesterday. Then she got all suspicious when I asked her about it.”

Taylor paused. She didn't get anything yet and was planning to go tomorrow. But now with the camp thingy she wasn't sure if she'll have time.

‘And now would probably be a good time to tell her.’

“Ems. I have something to tell you.” Taylor braced for what would most likely be an argument.

“Go ahead.” Emma pushed.

“I may or may not have bad news.”

With brows furrowed Emma just waited for Taylor to continue.

“I'm going to a camp.” Taylor announced, voice dropping to a whisper. “ Dad signed me up for it. I might not be here for Christmas.”

“What?”

Taylor didn't know what to say to that. She opted for silence instead. 

“And you just agreed.” 

“Yeah.”

“Why?”

That was a very good question. Why did she agree? She clearly didn't want to go. So why? She had many chances to decline.

What was she thinking yesterday? What was she feeling?

‘She was feeling …. okay. She was …happy then angry. Then back to the familiar numbness.’ 

“ I don't know.” she admitted. She truly didn't know what force pushed her to agree.

An awkward silence soon followed as they both scrutinized the news. Well Emma scrutinized the news. Taylor accepted it this morning.

“When?”

“Huh.”

“When are you leaving and for how long will you be gone for?” Emma asked. 

“I'm not sure. I'm waiting for Dad to tell me. He's going to tell me about it tonight.” 

“Cool. So where you going?” Emma said, acting nonchalant.

Taylor was surprised. She thought this conversation would turn into an argument. But Emma just accepted it and moved on.

She wasn't sure whether to be angry or happy about it. But she was kinda glad they didn't have to argue about anything. “ Glen's Winter Wonderland.”

“Where?”

“Glen's Winter Wonderland. I was actually about to research it. Wanna join?” Taylor asked hopefully.

“Taylor, I love you. But you're not making me study on my holiday time.” 

Emma stood up and messed with Taylor's hair as she passed her, “ I'm going to mess with things in your room now. Bye.”

Emma stalked to Taylor's room in maybe …sadness. She actually wasn't sure what to feel.

Should she feel happy for Taylor? That's what a good friend should do right? But she didn't truly feel happy about it.

Maybe she was disappointed. But of what? At Taylor for agreeing to leave on Christmas. Or maybe she was disappointed at herself for getting ….. jealous?

Was she jealous?

Nah. She really didn't care about the camp. A friend of a friend has already been there. So she knew about it. There was nothing exciting there. So she definitely wasn't jealous.

So was she sad? 

Okay that was the biggest prevalent emotion: Sadness.

Stopping by the pictures on the wall she smiled as she took in a picture of 7 year old Taylor. It was cute.

Young Taylor stood there with a toothless smile on her face holding a Legend action figure. Her mother stood next to her, also having the biggest smile on her face.

‘ I really miss Aunt Anne.’

Moving away from the image that brought sad thoughts, she continued making her way to Taylor's room.

Taylor's room was a mismatched combination of a library and a bedroom. Moving to a table she took a book she was certain Taylor was reading currently.

She moved the book marker and placed it elsewhere before moving to lie on the bed.

“ Stupid Taylor.” She sighed. That felt right to say. 

She was really thankful to Taylor for being her friend. But sometimes she was just stupid. 

Looking at Taylor's acceptance letter to Arcadia. She felt happy and a bit angry. Mostly angry at herself.

She was happy that Taylor decided to leave a better place for her. And was angry at herself for making Taylor choose a school that sucked for her.

Sighing again she looked away from the letter. Stretching, she got comfortable before deciding to take a nap.

Sitting and waiting for her computer to boot, Taylor grumbled in annoyance as she flipped through the pages of her book trying to find the last place she left it at.

Because clearly the marker was in the wrong place. She shot a glare at the sleeping form of her friend. Before giving up.

It was pointless when the one meant to receive the glare was asleep.

‘Good thing, she didn't mind re-reading the book. So what Emma did was useless.’ she thought, entirely giving up on finding her page.

Giving her computer her full attention her research began.

‘Glen's Winter Wonderland is a winter camp. Obviously. Let's see …it's located in Salem Massachusetts.

Salem, why does that place sound familiar? Oh, here it is. Salem is famous for its witch trials.

Witch trials? The Salem witch trials were a series of hearings and prosecutions of people accused of witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts between February 1692 and May 1693. 

200 accused. 30 found guilty and 19 people who were hanged. Sheesh, that's dark.

Getting sidetracked here. Camp was founded in 2000 by Marcel Damkot. Blah blah family owned.

Costs $2500. What?’

“Taylor.” Emma suddenly shouted behind Taylor.

Taylor jumped in shock before turning in anger, “Emma, what the heck?”

While trying to calm her racing heart. She thought of strangling her friend.

Meanwhile Emma produced a series of prolonged staccato tinkles that suddenly climaxed in choking, unearthly shrieks that one might expect in a monkey in heat.

She was dying. Of laughter of course.

Taylor couldn't help herself she eventually broke down in laughter aswell but not before hitting Emma in the back of the head with a pillow.

They both then sat in silence. “ You're angry about the camp thing right?” Taylor asked. After thoroughly thinking about it she was able to see through her friend's facade.

Emma thought of lying again but decided against it, “ Maybe.” Turning to look at Taylor she asked, “So you really have to go?”

“I don't want to. I'm mostly doing it for Dad. And it's only a week. I'll be back before you know it.”

The next moments were spent with them talking about whatever came to mind. High school, their future careers, living together in college, what superpowers they would like to have, their superhero crushes. All those things.

These moments were also Taylor's best moments. Quiet and peaceful. A time they both spent laughing till it hurts.

“Taayyyloorr. I'm hungry.” Emma mentioned, shaking her friend. “Feed me Taylor. Feed me.”

“I'm not making you anything. You get up.” Taylor retorted.

“But I'm so comfortable.” she whined from one of the many pillows they were sprawled on.

“ And you think I'm not.” Taylor said from her pile up of blankets and pillows. “ I still have food from yesterday. You can go warm that up.”

Pulling the blankets closer then flipping a page on her book, she voiced a question, “ Hey, Emz what do you think of second personalities?”

Peeking her head out from her corner, Emma asked, “Like DID?”

“What's that?”

“Dissociative Identity Disorder. A mental disorder where an individual has two or more distinct personality states.” She clarified.

Taylor stopped what she was doing and stared at her friend in confusion, “How do you know that?”

“Anne wouldn't shut up about it yesterday. At this point I'm sure she took that psychology major just to drive me insane.” she then added, “And I read sometimes there's no point in looking so surprised.”

Chuckling Taylor mentioned, “ I said nothing.” 

“Looks like dad's home.” She said after hearing a car park and the sound of the front door opening.

“Yay. Mr H’s back.” Emma mentioned in happiness.

“You call my dad, Mr H?”

“ Among other things.” 

The bedroom door opened not fully and Danny poked his head in. “Hey girls.” He greeted his daughter and friend.

“Hey, Dad.”.   "Hey, Uncle Danny.”

“ I'll be preparing dinner. Who's hungry?” He asked.

“Meeeeee.” Emma got up and took Taylor's hand, “Come on. We're going to eat.”

“But I'm not hungry yet.” 

“Don't care.” she mentioned pulling Taylor out of her mini fort.

“Just wait. Let me ……”

Emma totally ignored her pleas and pulled her out of the room. 

‘....... glossopharyngeal nerve(CN IX) controls the muscles for swallowing and providing taste sensations. It also has parasympathetic nerve fibres ….’

“Amy?” Victoria mentioned taking her out of her thoughts.

Putting her pen and book down. She gave her sister her attention. Victoria stood at the door of her room. Before coming inside.

Holding two trays she gently flew inside balancing them each on the palm of her hands. She then stopped in front of her, extending one of her hands, giving her a tray.

Taking it Amy gave her sister a questioning look.

“Saw that you didn't eat dinner. Dad cooked today. So I thought we could eat together.” She exclaimed, putting her own tray down and taking a seat next to her.

“Sure.” Amy agreed. Closing her books and moving them aside. Her sister got more comfortable.

Moving the foil covering aside, she took a look at what's inside.

“Stuffed peppers?” She asked in surprise. It was her favourite.

“Yep. Made it with Dad. And I have a surprise.” She mentioned excitedly. “What you studying?”

“...... Oh. I'm studying nerves.” Amy said, taking a bite out of one of the peppers. Moaning in joy she took another.

“Cool, cool.”

“So how was your day?” Amy asked, trying to keep the conversation going so she wouldn't have to go back to studying. 

She was actually meant to stop a long time ago. But she made a promise.

“Nothing much. Decided to sleep in today.”

That was not what Amy was expecting. “So what's the surprise?”

Her sister seemed excited about it. So she might have something interesting to say.

In excitement Victoria put her plate down. “ You remember how I said I could get you to go to camp with me?” 

‘ That's what this is about.’

Now she wanted this conversation to end as quickly as possible. And her sister to leave. She wasn't really angry at Victoria.

But the topic was a sore subject.

“I do.” Amy said. Though now she wasn't really looking forward to it anymore.

“Well guess who's going?” Victoria quizzed.

“Me?” She mentioned not with much enthusiasm.

Flying closer she grabbed Amy, “ You are.”

‘But I knew that Vicky. Mom made sure I know it.’

“Vicky can I ask you question?”

Victoria paused what she was doing. She was expecting her sister to be more excited. “Go ahead.” 

Amy thought hard on whether to ask this. 

“Do you love me?”

“Where's this coming from?”

‘ Victoria's right, Where was this coming from?’

She simply shrugged. “ I don't know.”

“ Well my answer is yes. I don't know what made you think I didn't. But I do love you Amy.”

Amy moved to hug her sister. “Thanks. I really needed that.”

Chapter Text

22 December 2009

Hebert household

‘ Okay. I give up. Whoever said packing was fun was high on something. There's nothing fun about this.’ 

Standing in the centre of her room in annoyance and a twinge of anger Taylor looked around her room. At the mess specifically. Her clothes were messily spread all over her room. The floor, her bed , her study table. Nothing was spared. And this mess fuelled her growing irritation. She wasn't a messy person. And seeing her room like this just did things to her.

With a sigh she stepped over some hastily thrown pants of hers and took a seat by the table where her computer resided, shifting some of the clothes there she threw them to the floor and then turned to look at her best friend with pleading eyes.

Emma, Sweet Emma sat in an untouched corner of her bed. A big grin plastered on that annoying face of hers as she sat there watching Taylor suffer. She made no move to get up nor was she offering any help. Nope, she just sat there. Looking smug.

“ Okay, I give up. I don't know what to pack.” She sighed out while glaring at the mess. It was all different kinds of clothes she removed from her wardrobe. Courtesy of her upcoming trip.

It was packing time. And she was unsure. Who wouldn't?

And she had to be quick about it. The time was currently 8:34 and she was leaving at 13:00. She had no time to waste. Literally. But here she was, just sitting. Helplessly. Who knew packing would be so hard. 

And someone smart would ask, why start packing now? When you have to leave later. What were you doing yesterday?

Her answer: Fuck you.

‘ Curse this damned trip.’ She thought sourly.

Twisting on her chair she turned her computer on. First she was going to check the weather that side. Then start preparing from there. Or stall for time. And hope her father cancels. Somehow.

Getting up, Emma moved closer and leaned on Taylor's chair. “ Dude, it's winter. Just take whatever keeps you warm. I honestly don't know how you're overthinking such a small task. It's not like you're packing for the end of the world.

You're literally coming back next week.”

Pushing her best friend's head away from her shoulder and ignoring the laughter that followed. She then watched as Emma left the room with a glare. She had nothing to worry about afterall she wasn't going anywhere. Once the door closed behind her, Taylor continued with her research. She was going to search for the weather, the Capes that existed there and everything she could find about the history of Salem. Mostly related to the camp though.

She knew her friend had a point. That what she was doing was pointless. But you have to remember that a big part of her didn't want to leave. So you could say that, at the moment she was stalling. She was definitely stalling.

Pulling up the history and weather of Salem for the upteenth time she went through it again. She didn't care that she checked it three times yesterday and four times already, today.

‘It was going to be cold the entire week she was there. Nothing changed. So that was a plus.

Ah, and would you look at that? Still smiling at me. There was a big chance that it might snow.’ She thought while a grimace slowly formed on her face. She really didn't like snow. If she piled up a list of things she didn't like that much, ‘snow’ would be sitting perfectly at number 7. It was made up of two other things she didn't like that much: the cold and wetness.

‘Why does it have to be cold and wet? It's like it was specifically created to spite her. Did I do anything wrong in my past lives or something.’

Moving away from the saddening weather forecast and an afterlife theory she really did not believe in she started searching for Capes. Capes were always exciting and the Cape scene should be better than any weather.

Getting out of the weather forecast she briefly typed in a new query and got into the relevant website. Fixing her glasses and squinting just a little she began reading.

‘ Salem had a total of 13 Capes. 5 were Wards and the rest being Protectorate. 

They were kinda small. But I guess not everywhere is like Brockton Bay. Moving on,

The leader of the group is a female Cape who goes by the name Galaxia. She’s a ….’ 

“ She's cute.” Emma suddenly said, causing Taylor to jump just a little. 

Whipping her head to the side so fast that she had to momentarily move her hair away from her face. She turned to stare angrily at Emma. Jumpscares were fun if she was the one doing it, not the other way round. She was caught by surprise to find her holding two cups of something. Raising one hand Emma pointed a cup in Taylor's direction. 

“ This is tea right?” Taylor asked not taking the offered cup. Instead she crossed her arms and looked at Emma straight in the eyes.

Emma shrugged. “ What else would it be?”

Taylor's eyes suddenly narrowed, “ I don't know! But I do remember the time I specifically asked for you to make me tea and you gave me coffee instead. I had to drink that slop. Forgive for being cautious.” 

“ That was one time. And an obvious trap, you were in the kitchen with me when I made it.” Emma defended before breaking out into giggles. “ Your face though, was priceless. Wish I had my phone with me then.”

Taylor ignored the fact that Emma intentionally left her phone away for her sake.

Shaking her head she then raised her hand again. “ It's tea, I promise.”

Taking the cup slowly Taylor was disappointed to find that it was indeed coffee in the cup. “ Emma?” She mentioned. Her tone serious. Her mood was already dark and she refused to make it worse by drinking this.

Another thing she really didn't like was coffee. It was bitter. It smelled bad. And kept her up. She didn't enjoy not being able to sleep when she really needed to. It always left her alone with her thoughts. And her thoughts weren't nice most of the time.

Confused, Emma looked at her own cup in surprise before giving it to Taylor. “ Sorry.” She mentioned sheepishly. “ I mixed up the cups, I guess.” 

Taking the coffee cup away from Taylor before she got murdered, she moved her eyes to the computer. “ So, who's that?” she asked pointing at the woman on the screen.

Looking at the screen again she answered, “Galaxia. She's some Cape at Salem.”

“ Okay.” Emma said slowly before asking, “ Why are you searching for the Capes there?”

Blowing on her tea she took a sip then replied, “ Research purposes.”

Emma looked at her friend with her eyebrows raised before shaking her head and moving back to her spotless corner. On her way there she randomly picked a book from Taylor's shelf.

Now comfortably in her seat she spoke again. “ A week. 7 days that's how long you'll be gone for. You know that right?”

Taylor simply shrugged and waved her hand dismissively. Emma wouldn't understand.

Sighing deeply, Emma got up from her comfortable self made spot, took her cup and moved to the centre of the room. She then pushed away some of the clothes there and took a seat.

Looking at Taylor she spoke. “ Come.” she said seriously.

“ What?” Taylor asked momentarily looking away from her computer.

“Come here.” Emma mentioned patting the space across from her.

Taylor was about to disagree when Emma shut her up with a. “ I wasn't asking Taylor.”

Getting up begrudgingly she took her cup and sat at the aforementioned position. “ Now, what?” She said a little annoyed.

Emma didn't answer immediately. No, she waited. She took a sip from her coffee and waited patiently until Taylor's face slowly morphed into one of full annoyance. Then and only then she finally spoke. “ I'll help.”

“ You called me over just to say that?” Taylor asked incredulously.

“Yep.” Taking another sip, this time she watched as Taylor's glare turned murderous.

Taylor was never really a violent person. But at the moment she was willing. She really wanted to strangle Emma.

“ Hey, don't give me that look. I offered my assistance in this task you're clearly struggling in. For no apparent reason.” Emma justified.

Pushing her murderous thoughts she then gave Emma an expectant look. It was still glare though. And Emma was right she needed help. Badly.

Putting her cup down and pointing at Taylor's table. “ Hand me a piece of paper and a pencil.”

Getting up reluctantly she went to her desk, took all Emma asked for then gave it to her. Taking said things, Emma quickly scribbled a few things before she got up, grabbing an empty duffel bag and placing it between them. She then gave Taylor the piece of paper.

“ Let's start with this.” She mentioned, tapping at the paper.

Taylor took a quick glance at the paper. It contained a checklist of some things she might need. The list wasn't bad. It was short and to the point. It went like :

• Clothes 
• Flashlight 
• Bug spray 
• Sunscreen 
• Hiking boots 
• Mittens
• Toiletries 

“ Wait, what do I need sunscreen for? I'm not sure if there's going to be any sunlight there that might need sunscreen.”

Emma shrugged. “ You'll never know. It's better to be caught with it than without.”

Taking the list back Emma asked, “ So what's the weather going to be like?” 

Taylor straightened a smug grin slowly spread on her face. “ I thought you said it's winter. I should pick whatever keeps me warm.”

“ Do you want me to stop?” Emma deadpanned, not a bit impressed by Taylor's smugness.

And her grin turned into a grimace. “Nope.”

“That's what I thought.” Emma mentioned now the one wearing the grin.

“ There's a chance it might snow. So I'm going with its going to be cold. Very cold.”

Emma snorted. Knowing Taylor's dislike for the weather. “Sucks to be you.”

Getting up she moved to Taylor's wardrobe and took out a charming black and green parka coat. Folding it she threw it inside the bag and sat down. “ See, it's not so hard.”

Taylor's father then poked his head through the door. He first noticed the mess and let out a chuckle.

“Hey girls. Making any progress?”

Taylor said nothing and shot him a glare. Which made him laugh more.

“Kind of,” Emma answered before looking at the list and asking. “ Do you guys have bug spray and a flashlight?”

Mr Hebert nodded. “ Bug spray is somewhere in the kitchen and I think the flashlight is somewhere in the basement. I'll go look for it.” He mentioned before leaving.

Emma and Taylor both spent the next minutes in silence scouring through her room and wardrobe for all the suitable clothes. The process went like this: Both of them picked clothes. Emma put together a complete matching outfit then she gave the clothes to her and then she would gently fold it and place it in her bag. 

But honestly Taylor didn't care at all about matching outfits. Wasn't the purpose of clothes being comfortable in them? Well besides the obvious warmth they give and protecting your dignity. 

“ Okay, how about this sweater?” Emma held up a cozy, oversized knit. 

Taylor carefully pondered the matter. Again she didn't care about looking pretty over there. So instead of focusing on how she looked good with that particular sweater she thought about its practicality.

“ Sure.” Taylor replied, nodding. “ It's warm and I can probably layer it.”

Emma tossed it into the bag and continued rummaging through her messy pile of clothes that surrounded them. “ And what about these jeans?” she asked, holding up a pair of dark jeans.

‘ Okay, what happened to you choosing things and I'll pack them?’ Taylor thought. Giving the jeans a once over she denied them. She was probably going to run around there; she didn't want anything that squeezed her.

“So, what's next?” She asked. A part of her wanting to get this done ASAP. So that her room would look clean again.

Holding up the list. “ Let's see …. hiking boots?” Emma suggested, looking around the room.

“ Hmmm. Right! They're in the closet,” Taylor said, moving to retrieve them. She pulled out sturdy, well worn boots and placed them in the bag.

As they worked, Taylor felt her irritation slowly dissipating. Emma's presence was comforting, and the laughter they shared over the ridiculousness of the made the task feel less daunting.

After working for some time they both eventually sat down and took a little break. Taylor took the time to process all of this. She was leaving today. And going to her first sleep away camp. Every other person would have been excited and happy and maybe a little nervous. But she felt none of that. Just empty. Mostly.

She then thought about what camp was going to be like from what she read. A moment spent around a campfire, scary stories told to one another, s'mores and sometimes staying up late laughing with friends. 

‘Friends?’

Looking at Emma, her only friend she couldn't help but regret her decision even more. She had no friends there and wasn't looking forward to making any. And her only friend wasn't leaving with her.

‘What was the point of making friends there anyway? It wasn't like she was going to spend time with them here. She doesn't even have a cellphone. So she couldn't ask for people's numbers.’

“ Hey, Taylor.You good?” Emma asked, shaking Taylor out of her thoughts.

“ I don't …w-want to go.” She first said softly not loud enough for Emma to hear. “ I don't want to leave. I'll be there alone. And they're going to try to talk to me and I'll say something stupid. Then everyone will laugh at me. And I'm going to…..” she admitted, louder this time. She was now panicking a little.

“ Taylor breath…” Emma mentioned stopping Taylor from hyperventilating any further.

Taylor stopped talking and pulled Emma closer. “ Emma, I don't want to go.”

Emma said nothing. She only held Taylor closer and gently stroked her back. She also really didn't want Taylor to leave. But after hearing her explanation yesterday of why she chose this. She understood why Taylor decided to go. 

For her father. She agreed only for her father's sake.

But she was sure if they both went to Mr Hebert and asked for Taylor to stay, he would agree. He would be a little disheartened but he would agree without putting up a fight.

The problem was Taylor. Taylor had a nasty habit of overthinking things. She would somehow find a way to twist the situation and place all the blame on herself. Then she would be sad about it for a while.

So at the moment she said nothing. Only waiting for Taylor to pull herself back together. Like she always did.

After some time Taylor finally stopped shaking and her breathing was under her control. Pushing herself away from Emma, she spoke, “ Sorry about that.” 

“No probs.” Emma murmured.

“ I'm going to go get things from the bathroom.” Taylor uttered. She then searched her room quickly and took out a smaller bag before leaving without waiting for a reply.

In the bathroom she took her toothbrush, face cloth, dental floss, lotion, body soap, shampoo, deodorant, hairspray and finally sunscreen. She then carefully packed each item in her bag. Zipping up her bag she then made her way downstairs.

Opening one of the cupboards in the kitchen she took out a small can of bug spray and then returned to her room.

On her way back she bumped into her father carrying one small flashlight and a lantern?

“Since when have we owned a lantern?”

Rubbing the back of his head Danny sheepishly mentioned, “ Ehh… It was mine when I was younger.”

Taylor simply nodded and continued making her way to her bedroom with her father following close behind.  

Reaching her bedroom door she opened it further and motioned him inside. Stepping in after her father she went to her duffel bag and shoved her toiletries bag inside. She then took Emma's checklist from the table and started crossing out some things. 

“ Now, mittens.” Taylor said, an eyebrow raised. “ Do I even own mittens?”

“ Yep. Those bright red ones. Your mother bought for you.” Her father answered.

“ Oh!” Taylor exclaimed before getting up and rummaging through a drawer. After a moment she triumphantly pulled out said pair of mittens.

Placing them in her bag including the flashlight she was finally done. Checking her list one more time then going through it back and forth with her father then adding a few more things she was now truly done. Getting up she then collapsed on her bed with a sigh. Watching her father leave she checked the time. It was now 10:38 so she still had some time to spare.

So, the question now was what to do?

Taking a glance at Emma who was now fully engrossed in a book. She let out a chuckle.

‘ It was still so weird seeing her read.’

“ Whatcha reading?” she asked.

“ Taylor, the cover isn't really hidden.” Emma replied with a smile not taking her eyes off the book.

Rolling her eyes Taylor looked at the cover. ‘Wuthering Heights’ it said with bright red cursive letters. It was a great book but she enjoyed Emily's sister's book ‘Jane Eyre’ more. Smiling mischievously, she debated on whether to spoil the book or not.

As she was about to speak, Emma spoke up first as if she read Taylor's mind. “ Taylor, if you ruin this book for me. I'm going to break your nose with it.” She threatened glaring at her.

Raising her hands up in surrender and stifling a chuckle she turned to lie on her back and stared at the ceiling. She contemplated picking up a book of her own but decided against it. She wouldn't be able to enjoy it now. Her mind was elsewhere. If tried reading now she would find herself re-reading the same page over and over.

She sat in silence staring blankly at her ceiling in boredom. Internally she was counting down each minute, each second until her time for departure. And weirdly it felt like the time was moving slower. 

Giving up on the time she sighed. ‘ Just seven days. It'll be over before I even know it. And I'll be back in time to spend the new year here.’

With that thought at the forefront of her mind she got enough hope to push through whatever daze was clouding her mind.

“ Hey, Emma?”

“ Yes?” 

Turning, Taylor looked at Emma. “ You'll miss me right?”

“ Of course I will.” Emma answered not taking her eyes off the book. Flipping a page she spoke again. “ I'll be bored, that's for sure.”

“ But I'm sure you'll end up finding something exciting to do. You'll have new sights. Many things to experience.” Emma encouraged, her tone upbeat. “ And remember, you can always write to me. I'll be waiting for your letters.”

“Letters?” Taylor echoed, a small smile creeping onto her face. “ Thanks.”

“ Anytime. Taytay.”

“ Hey Emma?”

“ Hmm?”

“ Could you read to me?”

Pausing Emma moved her book lower to see Taylor. With a sigh she replied, “ Sure.”

Their moment of peace was disturbed when her father came knocking. Poking his head in once more he spoke. “ Steph will be arriving any minute now. Do you have everything you need?”

“ Yep.” Taylor replied without much enthusiasm.

Stepping inside Danny moved through the room and sat near his daughter. He then asked, “ You nervous?”

“ Maybe.” That was a lie.

Danny wasn't really an emotional person. Comforting someone didn't come easy to him. But at this moment he was going to try something.

“ It's okay to be nervous.” He started gaining Taylor's attention. “ You're heading somewhere new. Somewhere far. And you'll be on your own. I can see how that would make you nervous.” 

He paused, scratching his chin trying to find the right words to continue. “ But look at it this way; it's an adventure. A chance to explore.

I've never really left this city. I was born here, raised here, fell in love here, got married here and had my child here. Not to sound dark but I think I'll probably die here too. But I'm okay with that.

But you-you get to go out there. Meet new people. See new people. Make memories. It's something your mother would have wanted for you. She loved to travel and she would've given everything to share this moment with you.”

He looked at Taylor, voice steady.

“When you get back, we'll sit here and talk and laugh about it all day. We'll even go over to Emma's and spend New years together. We'll end this year with something memorable and start next year anew. Fresh.” He concluded. 

Taylor looked at her father in shock. That …didn't help much but it was so heartfelt. It meant something. It had to.

“ W-What if I do something stupid?” she asked, pushing away other incessant thoughts that screamed at her to stay home.

“ Then you'll memorize the names, faces and addresses of everyone who laughs at you.” Emma said dead serious. “And when you get back I'll find a way to make their lives miserable.”

Taylor and her father looked at her half weirded out and half worried. Before she broke out into delirious laughter. Realising that she was joking they also started laughing.

Standing up, he said, “ I'll go wait downstairs. I'll call you when they get here.”. And with that he left the room.

“ Wow, didn't know your dad could get sappy.” Emma said, still half smiling.

After calming down, Taylor took the book Emma had been holding and replied. “ I didn't know either. That was a first. Or second I'm not really sure.”

She walked over to her shelf and then placed the book back in its original place.

As she straightened up, she was surprised when Emma suddenly jumped onto her back. Taylor quickly grabbed her shelf tightly to keep herself and Emma from tumbling; she then kept herself steady as Emma fully climbed her back. Once Emma was secured she moved away from her shelf and began pacing around her room slowly with her clinging to her back like a koala.

“ I'll miss you.” Emma murmured 

“ Me too, Emms.”

“ Don't have too much fun there, okay?”

Taylor snorted. “ I don't know what you think I'll be doing over there. But having fun isn't one of them. If I can, I'll spend most of my time in my cabin, reading.”

“ Nerd.” Emma murmured, amusement clear in her tone.

Taylor was about to respond when her father suddenly called her. It was time. 

Carefully she let Emma slide down her back and she collected all her bags. She gave her friend one last glance trying to hold the moment a little longer before finally stepping out of her room. As she walked down the hallway she stopped by one of the pictures plastered on the wall. It was a picture of her mother. Taking a glance around she freed her hand by placing a bag down and carefully taking the picture. Turning it around she removed the back cover and took out the picture from its frame. She was going to return it once she came back.

She then carefully tucked the picture in her bag and then continued with her journey.

Her father was waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs. He pulled her for a hug as soon as she came down.

“ I'll be here.” He said, quietly. “ Waiting for you. When you get back.”

He let go and took one of the bags she was holding. And nodded towards the door.

Taylor took one last glance around the house, she gathered up her courage before stepping outside.

Stepping outside and seeing what waited for her made her remember something else she didn't like that much. A thing that sat perfectly at top 3 in her most disliked list.

Taylor's heart thumped hard as she approached the car waiting outside. A deep gnawing unease twisted in her stomach. She could handle short rides. Sadly this wouldn't be one.

The car was parked in the driveway and her father was loading her bags into the trunk. Once done he gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze before leaving to wait on the porch. Taylor took a breath and looked at her transport.

The car was an old brown Peugeot SUV. It had a bit of scratches from years of use(and having children around.). The back windows were slightly tinted, giving it a shadowy feel inside. Peeking inside from the open window she could see faded leather seats and the presence of three other people she didn't know.

Taylor took a deep breath, trying really hard to fight away the wave of panic that threatened to rise. She glanced back at the porch. Her father stood there with a proud smile on his face as he waves her on. As she was about to turn away something else caught her eye. Above the house from her bedroom window Emma stood there with the Wuthering Heights book back in hand. She did a weird waving gesture( the royal wave) that made her laugh a little. 

Waving back, Taylor entered the car's backseat. She buckled her seatbelt, her fingers fidgeting with the clasp longer than necessary. The engine’s growl vibrated through the car and amplified every other noise.

Her mother's ex-colleague/ friend, Stephen( she didn't know his last name.) sat behind the wheel, cheerful but focused( Thank God.).His wife and their two kids were already settled in their chatter slowly becoming one of the things that slowly grounded her.

She took one last glance at the porch. “ Bye. Dad.” she whispered, voice barely audible.

He gave a small nod and smiled gently.

As the car pulled away, Taylor stared out the window, the familiar shapes of home shrinking behind her.

Nobody spoke for the first few minutes into the drive. Well nobody spoke to her. The others were talking. It's when they reached the first red light that Stephen's gaze fell on her through the rearview mirror.

“ Hi, Taylor. I'm not sure if you remember me that much. My name is Stephen. Stephen Reyes. I used to work with your mother. I'm sorry for your loss.” He said with what she assumed was a comforting smile.

Taylor didn't want to talk but out of politeness she responded. “ Thanks.”

She ended it there. What else was she supposed to say?

Nodding he pointed to the brunette haired woman beside him. “ This is my wife, Maya.” He then pointed at the other children in the car. Twins one boy, the other a girl. They looked younger than her but she wasn't certain.

Pointing at the boy first. “ That's Diego.” The boy waved his hand at her and she waved back. “ And the sleepy head over there is Gabriela.” He finished his introduction pointing at the sleeping girl to the left of her.

The ride from Brockton to Salem was a one hour and forty five minutes ride. So it was definitely long by her standards. She didn't want these people to see her panic so she did the next best thing. She forced herself to fall asleep. It would bring difficulties sleeping later but this was worth it.

Resting her head on the window sill she sighed and closed her eyes begging that when she woke up they would have arrived.

She didn't know how long she was asleep for but when she woke up there was singing. The soft sound of it pulled her from her sleep and she blinked her eyes open, momentarily disoriented. She turned her head slightly, trying to locate the source of what woke her up. 

It was Stephen. His voice was light and melodic way better than her father as he sang along to a song playing on the radio. Maya, his wife, was laughing softly beside him, clearly enjoying the moment. Diego was singing along to, bobbing his head to the beat but his voice was off key. 

Taylor felt a mixture of annoyance and bit of anger. She was meant to wake up once they arrived. She risked not sleeping later for this. Shifting upright and stretching her limbs announced her return to the land of the awake to everyone. Gabriela was the first one to notice her.

Being the only one who hasn't met her yet the girl's eyes lit up when she noticed Taylor awake. “ Hi. I'm Gabby.” She said excitedly raising her hand in a greeting gesture.

Taylor groggily took the girl's hand and shook it. “ Taylor.”

“ It's nice to meet you Taylor. Are you excited about the camp? I've been waiting forever to go. But I wasn't old enough at first. But now I'm big. How old are you? You look older. Did you know that Diego and I are the same age? My mind was…..”

“"Querido, respira." Maya interjected with a chuckle, her voice was light and teasing. “ You're not giving Taylor the chance to answer you.”

“"Lo siento mamá.” The girl replied, her cheeks flushing slightly as she realised her mistake.

“ It's not me you should be apologizing to Cariño.” Her mother said as she looked at Taylor with a gentle smile.

When Gabriela turned her attention back to her, Taylor couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy at the moment. Not only at the girl's mother but also at the girl herself. Gabby's enthusiasm was palpable, and yet it only served to highlight Taylor's discomfort and insecurities. The girl reminded her of herself. Before everything.

Here was this bright, bubbly girl so full of life and excitement while she felt like a ghost, drifting through the moment.

‘ Yeah, she definitely should have stayed at home.’

“ I guess I'm excited about the camp.” Taylor said with not as much enthusiasm as the girl showed.

Gabby's face lit up even more. “ We're going to have so much fun there.”

Taylor forced a smile. She didn't want to ruin the girl's mood. “ Yeah, fun.” She echoed but her mind was racing. The idea of spending an uncertain amount of time with people she didn't know wasn't ‘fun’ at all.

“ Do you like rollercoasters?” Gabby asked, her eyes wide with excitement. “ I love them! Diego is scared of them but I think they're the best!” 

“ Hey, don't tell her that!” Diego admonished blushing slightly.

Gabriela poked her tongue out in his direction and to Taylor. Waiting for her answer.The girl's brightness was honestly starting to burn Taylor. 

“ Uh, I don't know.” Taylor replied, her voice trailing off. “ I haven't been on many.”

“ Then you definitely have to try! It's so much fun!” Gabby insisted. “ You'll love it.” 

The offer was sweet but Taylor didn't see herself ever meeting this girl again after this camping matter was over. 

“ Thanks, Gabby.” Taylor mentioned pushing away the discomfort. “ I really appreciate the offer.”

The girl smiled at her so brightly, so warmly. “ Yay! We're going to be best friends!” The girl declared.

Taylor's forced smile twitched. “ Best friends.” she repeated, the words feeling wrong on her tongue when addressing someone else. She already had a best friend. And she wasn't looking for another one.

“ Sure.” Taylor said. Not really agreeing with the girl. She said it out of politeness. She didn't want to be rude. Putting her head back on the window sill she closed her eyes pretending to doze off so the girl would stop talking to her. And once the girl did she was forcefully reminded that she was in a moving car. Tensing she started reciting all the Capes she knew in alphabetical order. 

This went on for some time until she felt the car moving to a stop. Opening her eyes she peeked outside to find herself looking at a big blue truck.

“ Okay. We're here. Everyone who wants to use the restroom out now. I'm going to go buy us some snacks. All of you should be back by the time I get back. Okay?” Stephen said, looking at everyone.

““" Bueno."”” the others replied as one before laughing. Stephen looked at her waiting for her reply.

“ Okay.” She said.

After that everyone got out of the car and went their separate ways. Diego went with his father and she followed Maya and Gabby. Taylor took the time to stretch her limbs. And try to calm the anxiety away.

She didn't really need the rest room at the moment so instead she went into the store to get something important: Stamps. Pulling her hands into her jersey's sleeves she began her journey to the other side of the stop.

The bell chime rang quietly as she entered. Walking through the aisles, the bright lights, smell of disinfectants and colourful displays that were meant to catch your attention made her feel slightly nauseated. She spotted a rack of postcards tucked neatly into a corner and rushed to it eager to leave the shop. Her fingers brushed over the glossy images of scenic landscapes. The postcards reminded her of the days she spent sitting with her mother watching and reading about other places from an atlas.

Sighing, she let go of the postcard she was holding and made her way to the counter, where a tired looking clerk was ringing up a customer. Taylor waited patiently in line. She thought of buying something to eat but then remembered that Stephen said he would buy some snacks.

Distracted by the thought of having to return to the car, Taylor was brought out of her thoughts by someone complaining to the side.

“ The line's moving. Could you go?” Someone mentioned with an annoyed tone.

Taylor turned her head to the side to see a brown haired girl with hair that fell just below her shoulders. The girl was dressed in a simple long sleeve green t-shirt with an apple picture on it, this was paired with black slacks and. The girl was a head shorter than her so she had to look down.

Looking at her irritated face, Taylor was certain she had seen the girl from somewhere but couldn't remember where.

“ Are you moving or not?” The girl said, irritation slowly turning into frustration as she stared at Taylor.

“Oh, sorry!” Taylor exclaimed, stepping forward. Which she then followed up by ignoring the girl's mutterings. Which might have been curses.

When it was finally her turn, she approached the counter. “ Hi, do you have any stamps?” She asked.

The clerk nodded, then below the counter to pull out a small booklet. “ Here, you go. They're fifty cents each.”

Taylor fished out some money from her pocket before counting it and handing over the necessary amount. Accepting the stamps she stepped back. “ Thanks.” she said, offering a shy smile before turning to the girl beside her and apologizing once more. When done she turned and left the store.

As she stepped back outside the cold air hit her face causing her to shiver a little. Putting one of her hands in her pocket she walked back to the car and wondered how the other girl was so dressed so lightly in the cold weather. She spotted the car in the distance, no one was there yet from what she could see. Glancing at the restroom area and seeing the line peeking out she sighed in relief. Happy she didn't have to go.

Waiting by the car she gazed at the clouds above her. There was sunlight peeking through the clouds here and there but it wasn't hot enough to warm anything. Trying to see if she could make out any visible shapes she was shaken out of her stupor by the sound of laughter.

Turning to the source of the laughter, her eyes widened in disbelief, she saw a blond girl walking away with the brown haired girl from earlier. But what surprised her was that the blond teen was floating. She hovered over the ground while laughing at something. And seeing them together Taylor suddenly remembered why the girl looked familiar. It was Panacea and Glory girl.

‘ But what were they doing out here? Were they on vacation or something?’ Taylor thought. She knew heroes had personal lives but seeing them actually living it was kinda weird.

Like meeting your school teacher at the grocery store. You'd be so used to seeing them at school that you'd forget their lives didn't revolve around it. It was just surreal.

‘ Maybe I should take out a book now to keep me busy.’ She thought her expression brightened a little but then her mood suddenly plummeted when she realised she forgot to pack any books. It wasn't on Emma's stupid checklist.That meant her escape to avoid socializing and the likes was pointless now. ‘Was it too late to turn back now?’ her stomach churned as gazed down the road they came from.

Just then, Maya and the twins came bounding back, their arms full of snacks. “ Taylor! Look at what we got!” Gabby exclaimed when she got close enough to Taylor. She vibrated in excitement as she started showing Taylor everything. “ Look! We got chips, candy, mostly chocolate, my favourite and soda! See?” 

Taylor forced a smile again, this really trying to match the girl's enthusiasm. “ That's great.” she said though her heart wasn't in it. Home. That's all she wanted now.

“ Are you okay?” Gabby asked, weirdly perceptive for someone her age. Her expression shifted to a more subdued one as she noticed Taylor's distant gaze. “ You look ….a little …. distressed.”

That was a big word coming from a little girl. “ Yeah, I'm fine.” Taylor quickly mentioned. “ Just thinking.”

“About what?” Diego chimes in, his curiosity piqued.

Taylor tried not to glare at the kid. “ Just …..stuff?” she said, shrugging it off. “ You know, camp and everything.”

Hearing talk about camp, Gabby's expression lit up again. “ Camp is going to be awesome!” She replied quite loudly before closing her mouth embarrassed. Chuckling, she spoke again softer this time. “ We'll have so much fun together!”. Her eyes were bright with delight.

Taylor simply nodded. Maybe she could find a way to somehow enjoy this. Taking a deep breath she reminded herself that it was only seven days. It would be over before she noticed it. After helping Gabriela in getting back inside the car, she took her own seat and tried to relax. All that was left now was to wait for Stephen.

“ Here.” Gabby mentioned holding out a chocolate bar, a bright smile on her face. “ I got this for you! It's my favourite.”

Looking at the chocolate bar Taylor was genuinely touched by the gesture. “ Thanks.” She said, taking the bar with a gentle smile slowly spreading on her face. The sweetness of the chocolate felt like a small comfort.

“ So, what are you excited about for the camp?” Gabby uttered. “ For me. It's the s'mores.”

Taylor mulled it over as took a bite from her chocolate. Letting its rich flavour melt in her mouth she found herself relaxing a little more. “ Mhmm .…I think the campfire stories?” She answered.

“ Mhhmm. Scary stories are the best!” Diego exclaimed. “ Mostly the spider bite story.” He said making spider fang gestures.

His sister laughed. “ That story wasn't scary at all. It's just disgusting. The scariest story is definitely the killer in the backseat.” She said.

“ How is that scary? It's just some dude.” Diego defended his stance.

“ That's exactly why it's scary, it's just some dude. An ordinary person. Your story is not realistic. Spider bites won't leave you with baby eggs.” Gabby insisted.

Taylor watched the back and forth argument amused. Before it slowly turned into a shouting match that Maya eventually stopped. It was quiet for sometime before Gabby blurted out. “ Do you think they'll be cool animals?”

“ Like deers or a bear? I hope we see a bear! That would be so cool!” She said, her imagination running wild.

Taylor couldn't help it, she laughed. She laughed long and hard. She even had to wipe away the tears that formed at the corners of her eyes. 

“ Maybe not too close to a bear.” Taylor replied, chuckling at Gabby's imagination. “ But I guess it would be fun seeing one from a distance.” She mentioned fully wiping away her tears.

Gabriela didn't seem offended by Taylor laughing instead her own smile spread further. Just then, Stephen arrived, sliding into the driver's seat with a grin. “ Ready to get back on the road?” He asked, glancing back at the kids.

““" Sí.”” Everyone said. This time Taylor included. Stephen chuckled before turning back to front, starting the car and leaving.

Taylor went back to glancing out the window, watching the scenery. Watching the trees blur past her, she took a breath and this time she just enjoyed the moment.

“ Makin’ my way downtown 

  Walkin’ fast

  Faces pass 

  And I'm homebound ….”

The car was filled with a cacophony of singing voices, each trying to outdo the other in a playful competition. Vanessa Carlton’s “A Thousand Miles” blared from the radio at full volume, and the infectious melody had everyone in high spirits. Taylor included but she didn't sing out loud. She was humming and bobbing her head to the song.

Gabriela in the backseat, was belting out the lyrics with all her might. “ If I could fall into the sky, do you think time would pass me by?” She sang, her eyes sparkling with joy.

Diego, not one to be one-upped, joined in, trying to harmonize with his sister but his voice was still slightly off-key. Which made Gabby giggle. “ You're supposed to sing it like this!” She teased, laughing at him as she nudged his shoulder playfully.

Maya and Stephen also joined in from time to time. Only to stop in between to laugh. Exchanging an amused look with his wife Stephen spoke. “ Sing any louder and I'm sure one of us will be deaf by the time we arrive.”

Nobody listened to his playful jab. 

“Cause you know I’d walk a thousand miles if I could just see you tonight!” They all sang together, the lyrics echoing through the car as they harmonized, each voice adding to the joyful chaos.

When the song ended Gabby was the first one to speak. “ Let's do it again!” She shouted, waving her hands frantically. “ This time, everyone has to sing their loudest!”

“Okay, but no one can laugh at me if I mess up!” Diego protested, though he was already grinning.

“Deal! But no promises.” Gabby replied, her eyes sparkling with mischief. She was definitely going to mock him again.

Before they launched into another Maya spoke up. “ Looks like we're here.” 

And Maya was right. They had arrived. As the car rolled into Salem, Taylor out the window her breath catching in her throat. The town was draped in a blanket of winter, the streets lined with snow dusted trees and twinkling holiday lights. It honestly made the place magical and beautiful.

But Taylor didn't dwell on it for too long because there was something that ruined the image as a whole. The snow. The slippery, cold and wet. Annoying snow.

“ Look at all the decorations!” Gabriela exclaimed, her eyes wide with wonder. “ It's really pretty.”

“ Yeah, it really is.” Taylor replied. She didn't deny the beauty of the scene. But snow. Gabby there's snow.

Recalling the earlier argument about scary stories, Taylor decided to flex her Salem knowledge. “ Salem has a lot of history too. Did you know that?” She said with a smile. “ It's known for its witch trials back in the 1600s. There are rumours that the area has been cursed and the ghosts of all the innocent victims haunt this place.” 

“ Haunted! For real?” Gabby asked with a bit of curiosity, fear and disbelief.

“ Ghosts aren't real.” Diego suddenly said.

Smiling Taylor looked at him seriously. “ Are you sure? People used to believe that monsters didn't exist. Until the Endbringers showed up. What makes you so sure ghosts aren't real?”

Diego opened and closed his mouth several times. He genuinely didn't have an argument for that. Instead a slow creeping sense of fear crawled up his spine. “ Mom, ghosts aren't real right?” He asked his mother.

“Who knows?” His mother answered mischievously.

“ There are even ghost tours and everything,” Taylor continued, feeling a spark of enthusiasm and enjoying Diego's fear just a little. “And the architecture is really cool. Some of the buildings are super old, like from the colonial times.”

“Whoa, that’s awesome!” Gabby said, bouncing in her seat. “I want to see a ghost!”

‘ Yep, Gabby was weird.’ she thought.

“ Maybe, we'll get lucky.” Taylor joked. The history of Salem fascinated her. The hours she spent researching were really useful. Looking out the window again the moment now felt surreal.

Driving deeper into the town, the streets became busier, filled with holiday shoppers and families enjoying the season. The car passes by quaint shops adorned with wreaths and garlands, and the fresh smell of pine wafted through the air. Seeing the Christmas decorations made Taylor feel a little sombre. She was supposed to be spending her time with family. Not this.

“Look at that!” Diego pointed out, gesturing toward a small bakery with a sign that read “Freshly Baked Goods.” “Can we stop there on the way back?”

“Definitely,” Maya replied, smiling at her son’s enthusiasm. “We’ll make a note of it.”

Taylor momentarily let the warmth of the car, the family and scene outside wash over her. The festive spirit was infectious and she soon found herself smiling. Mostly at the sight of someone tripping and falling over outside. 

“Are we almost there yet?” Gabriela asked her excitement slowly, mixing with up with impatience.

“ Just a little further.” Stephen replied, glancing over at the car's GPS. “ The camp is just outside of town.” 

They then drove down a winding road. The trees slowly began to thin out until finally they reached a clearing where the camp stood nestled among the snow covered landscape. From what she could see the buildings were rustic but charming. Some smoke curled out chimneys and there were twinkling lights adorning the eaves of some of the buildings.

She was here. Taylor's heart swelled with trepidation as she took the scene in. 

“Here we are!” Stephen announced, pulling into the parking lot.

“Let’s go!” Gabby shouted, already unbuckling her seatbelt and bouncing in her seat.

“ Gabriela, wait!” Stephen said, admonishing his daughter a little. “ Okay, listen up. You three will go to the camp's main entrance. There should be many others there. You'll sign in then listen for further instructions okay?”

Everyone nodded.

“ Taylor, I'll bring your things in. You'll find them in your cabin once orientation is done.” He concluded.

She nodded then stepped outside with everyone. She then watched as he began to unload their bags from the trunk.

“ Come on! Taylor, let's go!” Gabby mentioned dragging her. Her patience finally having reached its breaking point. 

Taking a deep breath, Taylor stepped forward letting Gabby drag her, joining up with Diego the trio made their way toward the main entrance. The path was lined with snow, and the crunch of their footsteps echoed in the stillness. 

As they approached the entrance, Taylor’s heart raced. The camp was alive with activity, laughter echoing through the air as other families arrived, and the scent of pine mingled with the crisp winter air. She could see other kids milling about, some laughing and chatting. Everyone was already in their formed groups. 

“Look, there’s a sign-in table!” Diego pointed out, leading the way.

They reached the table, where a friendly and peppy camp counselor sat beside a bored looking one. The peppy older teen greeted them with a warm smile. “Welcome to Glen's Winter Wonderland! I’m Harley, Leader of the Frost Cabin and I’ll be your guide for the week.” She mentioned excitedly. “ And this dreadful person beside me is Ivy. She's in charge of the Snow Cabin.”

The woman known as Ivy snorted. "Do ya’ really have to introduce us like that to evahbody Harls?"

Harley ignored her and instead focused her attention on them. “Let’s get you all signed in!”

Taylor watched as Gabby and Diego eagerly filled out their information, their excitement bubbling over. She felt a flutter of nerves in her stomach but tried to push it aside. Seven days, she was going to be here for seven days. She could do it.

“Here you go!” Gabby said, handing her the pen. “You have to sign too!”

“Right,” Taylor said, taking the pen and scribbling her name on the sheet. It felt like a small step, but it was a step nonetheless.

“Great! You’re all set,” Harley said, handing them each a camp map and a schedule of activities. “Orientation will start shortly, so feel free to explore a bit until then.” Pointing at another area of the camp filled with chairs she said. “ Be back back in thirty minutes when the bell rings. We'll be meeting over there.”

Stepping away from the table, Taylor glanced at her map and the little activity booklet in her hands. There were so many activities planned—hiking, arts and crafts, and even a talent show. She definitely wasn't going to attend that.

“Let’s check out the cabins!” Gabby suggested, her eyes wide with curiosity. Her head kept moving from one place to another. She couldn't focus on one thing.

“Yeah, let’s go!” Diego agreed, and they began to walk toward the row of cabins nestled among the trees.

Approaching the cabins, Taylor felt a mix of anticipation and nervousness. The wooden structures were charming, each one painted in brown earthy tones that blended beautifully with the surrounding nature. Snow clung to the roofs, and the air was crisp and fresh, invigorating her senses.

“Look at that one!” Gabby exclaimed, pointing to a cabin with a bright red door. “It looks like a gingerbread house!”

“Maybe we’ll get that one!” Diego said, his voice filled with hope.

“ How about that one?” Taylor asked, pointing at a different cabin. This one had a light blue door and had snowflakes painted on it giving it a whimsical touch.

“ Mhhmm. It's cute.” Gabby said. “ But I like the red one more.”

“Yeah, the red one is definitely eye-catching,” Diego agreed with his sister, glancing back at the cabin with the bright door. “It looks so cozy!”

“Let’s see what else is around!” Gabby suggested, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

“Good idea! I want to find the dining hall,” Diego said, glancing at the map in Taylor’s hands, completely forgetting he had the same thing. “I heard they have hot chocolate!”

“Hot chocolate sounds amazing!” Gabby exclaimed.

“Okay, let’s head that way,” Taylor said, pointing toward a path that led deeper into the camp. They followed the trail, their boots crunching in the snow as they walked.

As they made their way through the camp, Taylor took in the sights around her. There were several activity areas, including a large open field perfect for snowball fights and a cozy lodge where campers could gather for games and crafts. Overall the camp didn't look bad at all.

“Look at that!” Gabby shouted, pointing to a group of kids building a snowman. “Can we join them?”

“Sure! Let’s go help!” Diego said, already running toward the group.

“ Eh…. Go ahead without me.” Taylor said. Not feeling comfortable with joining the other kids.

“ Are you sure?” Gabby asked, having stayed behind.

Taylor smiled at the girl. A genuine smile this time. “ Yep. Go.” she said to Gabby.

The girl nodded before running to join her brother and the group making the snowman. She watched them laughing, picking up some sticks and rolling up some snow for sometime before leaving. She continued her exploration, heading towards the dining hall, which was a large, welcoming building with warm lights glowing from the windows.

As she entered, the smell of delicious food wafted through the air making her stomach grumble a little. Inside, tables were set up for meals, and a cozy fireplace crackled in the corner, adding to the inviting atmosphere. Taylor made her way to the hot chocolate station and took a cup for herself. She also took a delicious looking chocolate chip cookie. Then she moved to sit in a cozy unclaimed corner closer to the fireplace.

Taking a bite from the cookie she wondered if she had too many chocolate related items today. Shrugging it off she continued eating and enjoying her momentary silence.

Just as she was about to finish her hot chocolate, a loud bell rang across the camp, echoing throughout the dining hall and officially signalling the beginning of orientation. The cheerful sound cut through the chatter in the hall as people began leaving. Setting her cup down at a table, Taylor made her way to the main gathering area. The sun was beginning to set, casting a beautiful golden hue over the camp, and the air was filled with the sounds of laughter and chatter as other campers gathered for orientation.

As she approached the designated area, Taylor spotted a large circle of chairs set up in front of a stage. Campers were already filling the seats, chatting animatedly with one another. The counselors sat in an elevated area. A small platform at the front. She spotted the two counselors from earlier and Stephen and his wife. Looking around she found Diego and Gabby sitting in the front row. Moving towards them she carefully slid in the chair beside Gabby. 

“Welcome, everyone!” a cheerful voice rang out as a camp counselor stepped onto the stage. She had curly black hair and a bright smile, radiating warmth and enthusiasm. “We’re so excited to have you all here at Glen's Winter Wonderland! My name is Abigail Damkot, the daughter of Marcel. Owner of this wonderful camp. First off, I'd like to welcome all of you here. Thank you for choosing to be here with us this festive season.” 

The crowd erupted in applause.

“Over the next few days, we have a lot of fun activities planned for you,” Abigail continued, her voice filled with energy. “From hiking and arts and crafts to campfire stories and talent shows, there’s something for everyone!”

“Before we get started, let’s go over a few important things,” Abigail said, holding up a clipboard. “First, safety is our top priority. Make sure to stay with your groups during activities and always let a counselor know if you need anything.” she said.

As Abigail went through some of the orientation details, Taylor momentarily tuned out of the conversation. She only focused on it again when Abigail said something important like, 

“Now, let’s break into groups!” Abigail announced, clapping her hands together. “We’ll assign you to your activity groups for the week. This is a great way to meet new friends!”

Taylor felt a flutter of nervousness as the pairing began. Her group included herself, Gabriela, Amy, Samantha, Zara and Anya. Their group leader was Ivy the bored red haired woman from earlier. Which meant their cabin was the Snow Cabin. 

As the orientation drew to a close everyone began moving to their assigned counselors, the air buzzing with chatter and laughter. Gabriela stuck close to her as they moved to their counselor.

Ivy stood leaning on Harley as the woman chatted animatedly. Other kids surrounded the two women. Once a total of twelve kids stood at the area they bid each other goodbye. Harley took her six and left.

Sighing, the woman looked them over before speaking. “ Fol’ me.” She said walking off.

Taylor shared a look with Gabby before following the woman and the others. Gabriela bounced beside her as they walked. Arriving at the familiar blue door with the snowflakes on it Ivy came to a stop.

“ Welc’me to the Snow cabin.” The woman said her Southern accent, clear in her voice. "I'm yo' group leader. The name's Ivy. An' I'll be in charge of y'all snowflakes. Stick close t' me an' obey mah rules an' I promise y'all'll enjoy yo' time heah. Okay?" 

Taylor and the others shared a look of apprehension and a twinge of excitement.

"I'll let y'all settle in. Mah room's next doo' to y'alls. I'll be back to fetch y'all for dinner. Bye." The woman announced, before waving and leaving them alone.”

The girls shrugged before they all made their way inside. Closing the door behind, Taylor stopped to take in the sight of the cabin. Inside, there was a six-person bunk bed. The bunks, stacked two high along the walls, were made up with neat blankets and pillows, waiting for their occupants to settle in for the night. One bunk bed was in the corner to the left of the entrance door. There was a long rectangular shaped window above it. To the right of the door was another bunk bed. It was placed vertically. Across from the door was the last bed.

A small wooden table sat in the center of the room, surrounded by a couple of chairs. Coats and backpacks hung from hooks on the walls or were stashed in corner lockers. A tiny heater in the corner cast a gentle hum, keeping the chill of the winter air at bay.

The scent of fresh wood and pine filled the air, mingling with the faint smell of bug spray and adventure.

Zara, a brown haired girl with thick hair, almond shaped eyes that had a light brown colour and a beautiful shade of dark brown skin was the first one to break the silence that surrounded the room. She moved towards the bunk bed across the door. “ I call dibs on this bed.” She said, pointing at the bed above her.

This caused everyone to race to claim a bed. Taylor and Gabriela took the bed to the left of the door. Gabriela quickly claimed the top bed as she climbed on top of it before Taylor even reached her. Samantha shared with Anya. And Amy took the bed below Zara.

The room was then blanketed by an awkward silence as everyone started organising and packing their belongings. They all shared some looks here and there. But said nothing to each other.

This time Gabriela broke the silence from her bed. Leaning her head on the bed’s guardrail she spoke. “ Hi. My name's Gabriela. But you can call me Gabby. What's yours?”

“ Zara.” The girl said from her own bed, a book in hand.

“ Anya.” A brunette with a bob haircut said from her position in front of a bulletin board in the corner of the small common area of the cabin.

“ I'm Samantha.” The girl said excitedly waving at everyone. “ And I'm from Boston.”

Zara looked at her. Sighing, she spoke. “ I'm from Marblehead.”

“ I live here. In Salem, I mean. Not the camp.” Anya clarified.

“ Oh, I'm from Brockton Bay.” Gabby said.

“Amy and I'm from Brockton.” A tired sounding Amy mentioned.

That left Taylor. When everyone looked at her she stuttered. “ T-Taylor.” Pushing her glasses back she spoke again. “ Uh… I'm also from Brockton Bay.”

And once introductions were done everyone fell into silence again.

While scouring through her bag Taylor was overjoyed to find a book there. Pulling out the book in exuberance she flipped it around. It was ‘Jane Eyre' and on top of the cover was a sticky note with the words ‘Where would you be without me.’. There was also a smiley face at the bottom. Taylor hugged the book close as a smile spread on her face.

‘ God bless, Emma Barnes.’ she thought. Taking the book she slid into her blankets and opened a page where a marker was. Maybe this trip won't be that bad afterall.

After sometime Ivy came back. Pushing the door open she stepped inside looking at everyone and the room before nodding. “Alright snowflakes. It's time fer dinner. Let's go!” she called as she left the room.

“ I feel like ‘snowflake’ is insulting.” Samantha mentioned as she put her shoes on.

“ And what would it mean?” Zara asked curiously.

Samantha thought about it then shrugged. She had nothing.

The group quickly gathered their things and walked out quickly to catch up with their disappearing leader. They walked together to the dining hall.

As they entered, the warm glow of lights and the delicious aroma of food enveloped them. Long tables were set up that fit cabin numbers, and the sound of laughter and chatter filled the space. The group walked and sat around the table their counselor claimed for them. Once everyone sat down she asked her tone serious. “ Do any of y’all have any allergies?”

The group shook their heads, a chorus of “No” echoing around the table. Ivy nodded before leaving them alone once more and coming back with trays of food. “ Great! Then let's dig in!” Ivy said, clapping her hands once she was done giving everyone their respective dishes. "Tonight, we got a delicious pasta dish with garlic bread an' a fresh salad. An' fer dessert, we'll have brownies." 

The mention of brownies sent a ripple of excitement through the group, and Taylor’s mouth watered at the thought. Who doesn't like brownies?

“Wow, this looks amazing!” Gabby exclaimed, her eyes wide as she saw her plate with pasta and salad.

“Yeah, I can’t wait to try the brownies!” Samantha added, her excitement infectious.

As they began to eat, the conversation flowed easily. Well not that easily. But Ivy coaxed everybody into talking. And soon they were comfortable enough around each other to share. They shared stories about their favorite activities, their families, and what they were looking forward to during their time at camp.

They soon lost themselves to Samantha's weird stories and Taylor admittedly found herself laughing once or twice but who's counting.

Once they finished their main course, Ivy stood up again, clapping her hands to get everyone’s attention. “Alright, snowflakes! Who’s ready fer dessert?”

Cheers erupted from the table, and Ivy returned with a tray of warm brownies, the rich chocolate scent wafting through the air. She placed the tray in the center of the table, and everyone eagerly reached for a piece.

Taylor savored the rich, fudgy brownie, feeling a sense of happiness as she enjoyed the sweet treat with her new friends. The laughter and chatter continued, and she couldn’t help but smile at how quickly they had all bonded.

As pleasing as the notion was. It also scared her. Was she being a bad friend at the moment?

Once everyone was done they were all ushered back to their cabin. Camp related activities would begin tomorrow. No one had the energy to do things.

Even Gabriela looked tired. And for the little time Taylor has known the girl she's always been full of energy.

Everyone quickly settled into their beds and soon silence followed. But there was one tiny problem.

Taylor couldn't sleep. Damn.

Chapter Text

Warm sunlight streamed through the open top window by the door, casting a soft glow into the room. It brightened the space just enough to give it a warm, homey feel. The room was quiet, save for the occasional shuffle and rustle of bedsheets and the low murmur of one of the girls talking in her sleep.

All the girls in the room were peacefully asleep. All but one Amelia Dallon. 

She laid on her bed staring blankly at the bedframe above her. She had been awake for sometime now. Courtesy of her internal clock. Usually by now she'd have already left bed. Either she'll be enjoying breakfast or already out the door and making her way to hospital for her first shift.

So, this silence. This stillness. Her inaction. It was strange. Unfamiliar. And it made her a little uneasy.

When was the last time she had free time? Time just to herself?

She should be out there. Mending gunshot wounds. Fixing broken spines. Removing cancers and tumors of all kinds.

She didn't truly crave the moment to be here. Being alone in her room would have been fine. But she was here now. So, what to do now?

She could spend time with Victoria but her sister had been swept away by adoring sycophants as soon as she showed that gravity couldn't hold her down. She could still join her but she couldn't handle popularity like her sister could.

And she knew for a fact that as soon as she also revealed she had powers she would be flocked. She really didn't want to be Panacea here. 

For once she just wanted to enjoy her time as Amy. As soon as she could remember what Amy did.

The sunlight slowly struck her face. Shaking her out of thoughts and filling her with minor annoyance. Maybe she shouldn't have chosen sleeping here.

Clutching her pillow in frustration she got up and turned her sleeping position. The sun was now lighting her legs instead. 

Closing her eyes she tried making herself fall asleep again. 

The quiet pressed in again. Even with her eyes closed, she could feel the sun inching higher, the light creeping up her legs like it was trying to touch her on purpose. Maybe it was. Maybe even the sun didn’t know how to leave her alone.

She let out a breath. Not quite a sigh. Not quite anything. Just enough to push some of the tension out of her chest. She hated this. The waiting. The not-doing. The empty hours stretching ahead like a hallway with no doors.

Today was Amy's day. Not Panacea. Just Amy.

The problem: She didn't know where to start.

She didn't fully hate being Panacea. Healing people made her feel warm inside. And the staff appreciated and adored her. The patients too. It was really awesome in the beginning.

But recently she was getting tired. Really tired. She hated the way some people looked at her like a tool. A miracle dispenser. She hated how they cried when she was too tired to help, as if she was cruel for not being infinite.

But she couldn't say anything. Not really. This was her duty after all. 

What does Amy do?

Amy, Amy, Amy? 

Amy enjoys reading. But she didn't bring anything to read. Her packing was quite rushed.

So, what will Amy do now?

She could try making friends. Friends was also a weird concept to her. She didn't have any friends. Unless you counted Victoria's friends. But those were her friends. They only hung around her because she knew and was close to Victoria. 

They weren't her friends. Amy doesn't have friends. Maybe Panacea was the better of the two. Everyone knew Panacea. Upstart miracle healer. 

She opened her eyes again.

The sun had crept farther now, lighting up the corner of the bed, catching the edge of her blanket in gold. Dust motes danced in the beam, lazy and aimless, like they had all the time in the world.

Amy didn’t.

She swung her legs over the edge of the bed, feet touching the cool floor. Maybe she’d go for a walk. Maybe she’d find something. Anything, to do. Not because she wanted to. Just because lying still felt too much like falling apart.

She lazily stretched her limbs and got up with a sigh. Putting her slippers on, she took a gown and quietly tiptoed her way to the door. Mindful of the others. Still lost in dreamworld.

As soon as she opened the door she was hit with the crisp, cold, morning air. Shivering a little she immediately closed the door. Took off her gown and slippers and gently got back inside the warmness of her blankets.

Going for a walk wasn't too pleasing anymore.

So, back to forcing herself to sleep it was. Three, two, one go: Abdominal aortic plexus, Abducens nerve, Accessory nerve, Accessory obturator nerve……

While counting all the nerves she knew in alphabetical order she eventually fell asleep.

Darkness cradled her mind as sleep took hold. Not restful, not heavy, just soft enough to let her drift. And in that in-between space, where time didn’t move and her thoughts weren’t quite her own. Something surfaced.

First it was sound.

The gentle click of metal against ceramic. A spoon stirring. Then laughter, quiet, muffled, but close. Hers? His?

Who was he again?

She was small. She could feel it. Her legs barely reached the floor. Her fingers were wrapped around something warm. A mug, maybe. Cocoa. She did love it. But coffee was her go to now.

Her feet dangled over the edge of a tall kitchen chair.

She wasn’t alone.

There was a man across the table.

His face was blurred, like her mind couldn’t quite pin it down. She tried to focus, eyes, nose, mouth but everything stayed smudged. Like the image of a person from a window while it's raining outside. A blurry figure. A shadow made of warmth.

But his presence wasn’t blurry.

He was laughing, low and gentle, in that way adults do when they’re trying not to seem too amused. Like they’re listening more than talking. His voice was calm. Warm. Safe.

"That's a big name for a little girl."

She’d said something before that, she was sure. Maybe told him she wanted to be a neurosurgeon. Or be something like him. Or that she’d have powers as cool as his. He'd found it adorable. Encouraging, but amused.

She looked down at her cocoa. Her legs swung slowly beneath the chair. His hand reached over, ruffled her hair.

"You’ll do anything you want, Amy. Just don’t forget to be happy too, okay? I'll support whatever you choose."

Something in her chest tightened. Even in the dream, she felt it that subtle ache. Like hearing a song you can’t place. Her hands gripped the mug tighter.

She tried to look at him again.

Eyes. She wanted to remember his eyes.

But the harder she looked, the more the dream resisted.

His face drifted, edges softening, slipping like steam off the mug. Voice fading.The kitchen faded too. Walls turned to smoke. The smell of vanilla thinned into nothing.

"Amy …."

She didn’t know if he’d said her name or if she’d thought it herself.

“ Alright, now. Rise an’ shine, Snowflakes!” 

The words hit her like cold water. Loud in the peaceful quiet of the room. 

Amy’s eyes blinked open as the dream scattered like dust in sunlight. Gone, no matter how tightly she tried to hold it.

That voice, not the man's voice from the dream. This one was brighter, sharper. Playful, even. The kind of voice that grinned as it spoke. It was also kinda annoying right now. She just fell asleep.

“C’mon, girlz. I said rise an’ shine!” the voice called again. Footsteps padded across the room. “Beds made, teeth brushed, make yourselves presentable for the day. We've got team-building exercises on the lawn and I want no stragglers.”

Amy rolled onto her back, blinking up at the bedframe above her again. But now the soft peace of early morning had been broken. The other girls were already stirring, groggy mumbles, rustling sheets, the squeak of bunk beds shifting.

A few grumbled in protest, one girl let out a dramatic groan, and another muttered something unkind under her breath.

Amy didn't move at first.

The warmth of the blankets still clung to her, as did the trailing fragments of that dream. The mug. The cocoa. That hand ruffling her hair.

His voice.That blurry man. Who was that man? Her father?

He’d said he’d support whatever she chose.

And all Amy could think was: She never got to choose.

A loud clap broke through the room.

Their counselor, Ivy, Amy remembered, stood near the door, her hands on her hips and a knowing smirk tugging at the edge of her mouth. Amy genuinely wanted to punch that smirk off the woman's face.

“Let’s go, Snowflakes. You’re happy, excited teenagers, not sleepy sloths. The morning’s ain't gonna wait for ya.”

Amy slowly pushed herself up into a sitting position, her body protesting the motion less than her mind. She looked around at the others, still half-asleep, some already gathering their things, a few sitting up and rubbing their eyes. Normal girls. At least, mostly.

This place wasn’t home. Not exactly. But it was supposed to be a place for people like her. Not fully like her.

Okay change that. This place wasn't meant for people like her. Powered people that is. It was meant for ordinary kids. Like them.

She doubted anyone here could wake up with the entire nervous system alphabetized in their head. Or with the taste of a long-forgotten childhood memory sitting in their mouth like cold cocoa.

Amy stood, grabbing her folded clothes from the foot of the bed and moving silently toward the shared bathroom. Her mind still lingered on the dream, even as the noise around her grew.

The warm hand on her head. That feeling just for a second that someone once loved her without needing anything in return.

Maybe she imagined the whole thing.

Or maybe... maybe something in her remembered. A lost memory perhaps?

She paused at the bathroom door, hand on the handle, her eyes flicking toward the window where the sunlight had fully claimed the room now. No longer soft and golden, but bright and insistent. 

The day was here.

Panacea could stay asleep a little longer.

Amy, for now, had to wake up.

The bathroom was filled with the soft hum of running water, the shuffling of feet against tile, and the occasional clink of a toothbrush knocked against a sink. The harsh overhead light flickered once, then steadied, casting a flat, sterile glow over everything. It made the sleepy girls look paler than they were. Ghosts in pajamas.

Amy stood near the end of the counter, shoulders slightly hunched, her toothbrush moving in slow, automatic circles. Her eyes half-lidded, face still soft with leftover sleep. She wasn’t fully awake. Not really. Just functioning enough to go through the motions.

The mint toothpaste burned a little, too strong for her mood. She stared at her reflection, not out of vanity or concern or anything else like that, just... blankly. Like her face was something she didn’t quite recognize this early.

To her left, one of the taller girls, Taylor. If she's remembering the girl's name correctly. Was brushing just as slowly, her posture slouched over the sink like her bones were still deciding whether to hold her up today. 

Dark bags hung under her eyes. Her toothbrush was practically still in her mouth. Just held there. Like she'd forgotten what it was for. 

It was a funny sight.

Their eyes met in the mirror for a second. A moment of silent, mutual understanding passed between them: I don’t want to be conscious either.

Amy almost smirked. Almost.

Then there was movement. Too quick, too enthusiastic for this hour, at the far end of the counter. And way too much.

Gabriela.

Small, brown-skinned, wide-eyed Gabriela. Maybe eleven? Twelve? Younger than the others, for sure, and currently humming as she brushed her teeth like it was a perfectly reasonable thing to do before 8 a.m. 

Her hair was in two bouncing puffs on either side of her head, and she had toothpaste foam on her chin but didn’t seem to notice or she just didn't care about it.

She wiggled as she brushed, her feet doing a little rhythm against the tiles, swaying side to side like she had a whole marching band going off in her head. She caught Amy’s eye in the mirror and beamed around her toothbrush.

Amy blinked, startled by the brightness. Taylor, the girl beside her, snorted at her confused look. Gabriela had a grin on her face. The grin was wide and toothy and genuine, and for a split second, Amy couldn’t remember the last time someone had smiled at her like that, without expectation or desperation behind it.

Gabriela gave her a thumbs up with her free hand.

Amy gave a small nod back, then glanced away. The brush moved a little faster now. Maybe just to feel less like a statue next to the kid version of a sunrise.

The girl beside Amy, sleepy-Taylor, finally started brushing again. Slowly. No rhythm. No joy. Just survival. Amy figured they were the same species. Gabriela was something else entirely.

One of the other girls gagged on her toothpaste and muttered a curse. The tallest girl, Zara?, Her bedmate grumbled something about mornings being a war crime. No one argued.

The air was filled with the smell of mint and soap and something faintly floral from someone’s lotion. It was quiet except for the scrubbing, humming, and the occasional yawn. Steam clung to the mirrors despite the window being cracked slightly, as if even the air didn’t want to fully wake up yet.

Gabriela finished first, spitting neatly into the sink and rinsing like she was in a commercial. She spun around, facing the others like a tiny sergeant addressing her sleepy troops.

“Today’s a good day!” she declared, arms outstretched, eyes wide. “I can feel it!”

Someone behind Amy muttered, “It’s barely a day at all.”

Gabriela just laughed. "Only if you let it be!"

Amy shook her head faintly, rinsing her mouth. She didn’t feel like today was anything. Not bad. Not good. Just something to survive.

But... maybe Gabriela was right. Or maybe she was just too young to be tired yet.

Still, something about that energy was contagious, in a small, begrudging way. Like warmth pressing against cold skin.

Amy wiped her mouth with a towel, catching another glimpse of herself in the mirror. Less ghost-like now. Still not “awake,” but there. Present.

Gabriela caught her eye again.

“Wanna sit by me at breakfast?” she asked, cheerful and casual, like it wasn’t a strange thing to ask someone older, or quieter, or clearly not in the mood for company.

Amy blinked. She hesitated.

Then nodded once.

Gabriela grinned, already turning on her heel and skipping toward the hallway. “Awesome!”

Amy turned back to the mirror. The other girls were still slow, dragging, grumbling about Ivy and morning and exercise. But Amy’s reflection didn’t look quite as blank anymore.

Maybe she’d let Amy stay awake a little longer today after all. It was time for her to enjoy her unearned vacation.

Amy followed the others as they shuffled out the door. Their counselor waited patiently outside for them. A big grin was still plastered on her face as she ignored the death glares being sent her way.

Once she was sure everyone was here. She simply turned and left. She said no words but her intentions were clear: Follow me. Her fiery red locks tied in a loose braid flowed gently in the air as she got ahead from them. They all eventually and begrudgingly mind you followed the older teen.

The small hallway she didn't know existed was still dim with the remnants of early morning, its white-painted walls bathed in gray-blue shadow. The fluorescent lights above flickered, buzzing faintly like an insect trapped behind glass. The linoleum floor was cold under slippered feet, and every shuffled step echoed a little too loud for how tired everyone still felt.

Why did they take the outside route to the Hall yesterday when a more convenient way was here?

Ivy, tall and composed in a faded green hoodie and jeans, stood at the front of the small group like a shepherd corralling a particularly grumpy flock.

“Alright, Snowflakes,” she drawled, clapping once and startling at least two of them. “Let’s get a move on. We’re burnin’ daylight and I don’t know about y’all, but I prefer my eggs while they’re still hot and not sittin’ in a steel pan waitin’ for God’s forgiveness.”

That earned a quiet chuckle from Gabriela, a groan from someone in the back, and a sleepy mutter from Taylor that might have been a threat. Amy said nothing. She just followed.

Ivy didn’t wait for enthusiasm. She spun on her heel, her thick auburn braid swinging behind her, and started down the hallway. The girls fell in line like ducklings, Gabriela bouncing a few steps ahead of the rest, still full of motion and tiny sparkles of joy that the rest of them couldn’t summon yet.

The group passed two other cabins, equally quiet, and then rounded the corner into the main corridor that opened into the hall.

The dining room wasn’t big, just a wide, rectangular space with rows of square tables and metal chairs. It smelled faintly of syrup and overcooked eggs, and the sound of clinking cutlery and morning conversation filled the air. There were already other kids seated, most of them a little older, a few even more bleary-eyed than Amy's group.

“Grab that one,” Ivy pointed to an empty table near the middle of the room. “Group Seven, right there.”

Gabriela made a beeline for it, pulling out a chair and hopping up like it was her throne. Amy followed slower, taking a spot at the end, next to the window. The others filled in, slumping into seats with varying levels of grace and resentment.

“I’ll be back in two ticks,” Ivy said as she counted heads. Then she nodded at one of the girls, Anya, a quiet, long-haired girl who rarely spoke above a whisper. “C’mon, sweetheart, help me fetch your sleepy butts some food.”

Anya stood silently and followed, her steps measured, almost hesitant. Ivy guided her toward the food counter at the front where the staff were laying out trays.

The rest of the table sat in near silence.

Gabriela swung her legs under the chair, eyes scanning the hall like it was brand new and full of secrets. “Do you think we’re doing obstacle courses today?” she whispered excitedly, looking at Amy. “Or trust falls? I love trust falls.”

Amy blinked. “...You love falling backwards and hoping no one drops you?”

Gabriela nodded, serious. “Yes. It’s like... real trust, you know? Not fake. Not the kind where people say they’ve got you and then don’t.” She frowned for a second, thoughtful. “Plus, it’s kind of funny if they do drop you.”

Amy stared at her. Then, quietly, “…That sounds dangerous.”

“Yeah,” Gabriela grinned, “but fun.”

Amy looked away, the corner of her mouth tugging upward in the barest flicker of amusement. She didn’t get it. But she sort of admired the confidence.

The chatter around the hall grew a little louder as more groups filtered in. Chairs scraped. A boy sneezed violently across the room. A staff member dropped a tray with a clatter. Ivy’s laughter rang out from the front, loud and warm, cutting through the background like a breeze through stale air.

Moments later, Ivy returned with Anya at her side and a tray balanced in each hand. “Look alive, y’all,” she called. “Fuel for the soul and grumpier stomachs incoming.”

She set the trays down on the table. Scrambled eggs, toast, sausage, a bowl of fruit, and a pitcher of juice. Nothing fancy. But warm, and more welcome than most of them admitted.

“Eat up. We got team-building in thirty, and I don’t wanna drag nobody through a snowy course on an empty stomach.”

She tousled Gabriela’s hair gently as she passed, then leaned down and whispered something to Anya before heading off toward the staff table.

Gabriela immediately began serving plates. “I’ll pass stuff down,” she said brightly. “Amy, fruit or no fruit?”

Amy blinked. “...Sure.”

“Sure to what?”

“Fruit’s fine.”

Gabriela beamed and passed her a paper plate with a little of everything. “You’re gonna like the pineapple. It's sweet. Not like cafeteria mystery-meat-sweet. Like real sweet.”

Amy accepted it wordlessly, her fingers curling around the paper edge. She stared at the food a moment before picking up her fork.

The others began eating too. Quietly, without much talking. But there was something gentler in the silence now. Less like tension. More like… waiting. Breathing space.

Amy took a bite of the pineapple.

And Gabriela was right. It was really sweet.

The food was good enough to keep them occupied for a while. No one rushed, but no one lingered too long either. Forks scraped plates, juice passed hands. The usual morning shuffle.

Eventually, someone cleared their throat.

It was Taylor, a tall, lanky girl with a frizz of curls she kept pushing out of her face. She was staring at her toast like it had personally offended her, but when she spoke, her voice was perfectly polite.

“So, um… anyone know what team-building actually means?”

There was a beat of silence. Then Gabriela perked up immediately.

“Oh! One year my cousin did summer camp and they had to build a tower out of pool noodles and marshmallows. Like a real tower. She said it collapsed in like five minutes and they just blamed the short kid.”

Taylor blinked. “Huh.”

Gabriela nodded seriously. “She still talks about it. It was a defining experience.”

Samantha looked up from her plate, uncertain. “That… sounds like bad engineering.”

Gabriela pointed at her, grinning. “Exactly! She said the lesson was something about communication and strategy, but mostly it was that marshmallows are not a sound structural material.”

Taylor gave a small, reluctant laugh, the corner of her mouth tugging upward. “So... obstacle courses and edible architecture. Got it.”

“I hope we do one of those trust games where you fall backwards,” Gabriela said brightly again, “but with someone big. Like one of the staff. I want to fall into someone who can actually catch me.”

Amy gave her a look. “What if they don’t?”

“Then I faceplant,” Gabriela said cheerfully, biting into a sausage. “Glorious defeat.”

Samantha, a girl who hadn’t said much up to that point, mumbled without looking up, “You’re all weird.”

“Thanks,” Gabriela replied easily. “I take that as a compliment.”

Taylor glanced at Amy, a little sideways. “You, uh… ever done anything like this before?”

Amy hesitated, feeling everyone’s quiet attention turn toward her. Even just slightly. She poked at her toast.

“No,” she said finally. “I mostly read.”

Gabriela tilted her head. “What kind of books?”

Amy shrugged. “Different ones. Fantasy. Some mysteries. And sometimes medical ones.”

“Ooh, you like murder stuff?” Gabriela asked, instantly intrigued.

Amy hesitated again. “Not, like, real murder. Just… the puzzle part. I like trying to figure things out before the characters do.”

Taylor perked up a little. “I do that too. But I’m usually wrong. Once I thought the cat did it.”

Gabriela gasped, scandalized. “You blamed the cat?”

“It was very suspicious,” Taylor insisted, trying not to smile. “It kept knocking stuff over and disappearing whenever something bad happened.”

“Classic deflection,” Gabriela said solemnly. “That cat definitely knew what it was doing.”

Amy smiled before she realized she was doing it.

The chatter rolled on a little longer. Quiet, clumsy, but held together by the kind of effort you make when you’re hoping the silence won’t swallow you up again. They passed the juice around, swapped toast for extra fruit, and tried not to look too often at the clock ticking toward whatever team-building meant.

But by the time Ivy circled back to them with a “five minutes, campers,” the air around the table felt looser. Not exactly friendly yet. But open. Like something was starting.

Amy took another bite of pineapple, slow this time.

Still sweet.

As the plates emptied and the food was picked over into crumbs and sticky napkins, Amy’s gaze started to wander.

The dining hall had filled out more while they were eating. Other groups had settled in, some louder than others, laughter bubbling here and there, staff moving between tables like slow-moving buoys in the morning current. Ivy was still across the room, talking to another counselor and drinking from a chipped travel mug.

Amy scanned the tables absently at first. Then with more focus.

Where was Victoria?

Her stomach gave a small, tight turn. Not panic. Just… alertness. She hadn’t seen her sister at breakfast. Hadn’t seen her since they’d separated by cabin the night before. Normally that wouldn’t matter. Victoria did her own thing but now, in this unfamiliar place, it felt different. She felt it.

She checked each table carefully, half-rising in her seat without realizing. Still no sign.

Taylor caught the motion. “You okay?”

Amy blinked and sat back down quickly. “Yeah. Just looking.”

“For?”

But Amy didn’t answer. She didn’t want to sound like a little kid. Or worse ….clingy.

Then, the door near the side of the hall opened, and in came a group of teens, loud and unbothered, practically glowing with self-assurance.

And there was Victoria, in the center of it.

Her long blonde hair, now tied into a braid, was tossed over one shoulder, and she was laughing at something a tall guy next to her had just said. Her face was open and bright, just like always. Like she belonged. Like she’d been here forever, not just a single night.

Amy sat still.

She waited for Victoria to glance her way. Maybe give her a little wave. Maybe mouth “hey” or make a silly face like she used to when their mom wasn’t looking.

But her sister never even looked toward their table. She walked past them without hesitation, gliding between chairs and bumping knuckles with someone at another table before sliding into a seat with her group. She tossed her bag onto the floor, still talking, still laughing.

Amy stared for a second longer, then dropped her gaze.

Something inside her had pulled just slightly inward. Like a door closing, not slamming, just a soft click.

She didn’t even know what she’d expected.

Of course Victoria had people. Of course she fit in.

Still, Amy felt… off. Not hurt, exactly. Just… smaller. Insignificant.

She picked up her cup and took a sip of lukewarm juice. It tasted thin and too sweet now.

Gabriela nudged her with an elbow. “You okay?”

Amy nodded. “Yeah. I’m fine.”

And she was. Or she would be. She pushed the weird feeling aside and started stacking her plate and cup, her motions tidy, careful. The moment didn’t have a name, so she just let it pass.

Across the room, Ivy clapped her hands.

“Alright, Snowflakes! Let’s go, sleepyheads. Time to get ya’ limbs tangled and our trust tested!”

A counselor next to Ivy groaned a little before snorting and waving her partner away.

Gabriela whooped quietly. Taylor groaned. Anya sighed like someone facing a battlefield. Zara simply sighed. And Samantha stuffed her cheeks a little faster. The group stood and shuffled to gather their things.

Amy followed, one hand still brushing against the edge of the table as they moved.

She didn’t look back at her sister.

The cold bit deeper now that they were outside.

Snow clung to the trees in soft mounds, layered like icing over their pine-needled limbs. The sky overhead was a wide, washed-out gray, heavy with the threat of more snow later in the day. Frost kissed the ground underfoot, hardening the soil beneath the campers’ boots. Breath fogged in front of every face, a visual marker of effort and endurance as they trudged out to the open field beside the dining hall.

Amy had bundled herself in a thick navy coat with her hood halfway up, trying to disappear in the volume of it. Her gloves were mismatched. She hadn’t cared when she packed and she flexed her fingers inside them, already regretting her decision to come to this camp.

“Team-building!” Ivy called from the front, her voice cutting through the crunch of snow and the quiet groans of the still-waking group. “Your first exercise is something I like to call The Human Knot.”

The groan that went up was almost theatrical.

Gabriela made a delighted noise beside Amy. “Oh! I know this one. It’s where everyone grabs hands and gets all twisted and you gotta untangle without letting go, right?”

“Exactly!” Ivy grinned. “Takes teamwork. Coordination. Patience. And a touch of chaos.”

Amy’s stomach dropped.

She didn’t like physical contact. Didn’t like the idea of being pulled into a mess of limbs and bodies, especially not when her powers made every accidental touch a potential misstep. She had no intention of healing anyone today but muscle memory still bristled when someone bumped into her arm.

They formed a loose circle.

Amy ended up between Taylor and another tall girl named Samantha.

Was she the only short one in this group besides Gabriela?

On Ivy’s count, they all stepped inward, reaching across the circle to grab random hands. Amy hesitated, then finally latched onto a wrist. Zara’s on one side, and Gabriela’s small gloved hand on the other.

Gabriela’s grip was surprisingly firm.

“We’re a mess already,” someone muttered.

“That's the point,” Ivy called. “Now figure it out. You’ve got fifteen minutes. Go!”

Immediately the group started laughing and twisting, barking confused directions at one another. The knot was a chaos of elbows and bent knees. Someone slipped in the snow. Taylor bumped into Amy’s side with an apologetic grimace.

Amy stayed quiet. She didn’t know what to say. She tried to move when Gabriela did, twisting her arms to follow the line, but she couldn’t visualize how this puzzle was meant to come apart.

She wasn’t used to puzzles that required other people.

“Left! No, your left…”

“I’m stepping on someone’s foot, sorry!”

“We’re not supposed to let go, Zara!”

“I didn’t! I just… adjusted!”

Gabriela was giggling through all of it, cheeks flushed from cold and laughter. She was trying to twist under someone’s arm when she tugged on Amy’s hand. “Amy, duck!”

Amy bent at the waist, barely avoiding an accidental elbow.

She caught Taylor’s eye again during the maneuver. Taylor had the same hesitant, quiet face Amy was sure she wore herself: the look of someone who wanted to vanish more than participate.

But unlike Amy, Taylor spoke. “We need to think. Not just move randomly.”

Her voice wasn’t commanding, just careful, level. But the others listened. A little.

“Right,” Gabriela said, breathless, “So who’s got whose hand?”

“Gabriela has mine,” Amy said quietly. Her voice sounded flat and soft even to herself.

Samantha confirmed she had Taylor’s, and so on around the circle. They began mapping the connections out loud. Still a tangle, but a more ordered one.

Amy found herself rotating slightly to let Zara through, holding tight to Gabriela’s wrist while they ducked together. Amy’s boots slipped a little on packed snow, but she kept upright.

“Hey,” Gabriela said near her ear. “You're doing good.”

Amy blinked, startled. “I’m just following.”

“Still counts.”

It didn’t make her feel better, but it made her stop shrinking.

The group slowly untangled. Bit by bit. A few near-stumbles. Some laughter. Amy said little. But she didn’t let go. And when they finally found themselves in a circle again, arms aching, cheeks red from cold. The clap that Ivy gave them was genuine.

“Nicely done, Snowflakes,” she said, beaming. “Only took twelve minutes. Ain't gonna lie that’s not bad for a first go.”

Gabriela let out a victorious “Whoo!” and flopped into the snow like she was about to make an angel.

Amy shook out her hands, stepping back from the group, breath visible in short huffs. Her heart was racing harder than it should’ve been. Not from exertion. Just… proximity. Closeness. Everyone around her still seemed high off the relief of solving the puzzle, but Amy just felt hollow.

Not hurt. Just distant.

She turned to see Taylor brushing snow off her jeans. The other girl caught her looking.

“Weirdly intense for something called a human knot, huh?” Taylor said with a wry half-smile.

Amy nodded, not quite ready to talk.

They weren’t friends. But in that moment, standing a little apart from the main huddle, they weren’t entirely alone either.

Their second exercise involved a makeshift obstacle course laid out across the snow-packed field. Tires half-buried in snow. Cones marking zig-zags. A rope swing over a padded mat that had already soaked up half its weight in slush. At the end: a bell hanging from a wooden post, half-iced over.

“Split into pairs!” Ivy called. “You’re gonna run it relay-style. First team to ring the bell wins eternal glory. Or at least bragging rights at dinner.”

Amy’s pulse spiked. Pairs. That meant choosing. That meant being chosen.

Gabriela immediately grabbed Samantha’s arm. Zara and Anya had already drifted together. Taylor stood at the edge, hands shoved into her coat pockets, her eyes scanning but not seeking.

Amy hesitated, cold settling in her bones. She didn’t want to ask anyone.

Then Taylor caught her gaze.

Without a word, she jerked her chin slightly. Not exactly an invitation. Just a suggestion. A question.

Amy nodded once.

They moved toward the starting line together.

“You okay with running?” Taylor asked quietly.

Amy shrugged. “I can do it.”

“I’ll go first,” Taylor said. “You follow when I hit the cones.”

Amy nodded again.

They stood side by side while Ivy counted off. The snow was more ice than powder beneath their feet now, worn slick from all the activity. The wind picked up, cutting through even thick coats.

“Three… two… one—go!”

Taylor launched forward, her boots crunching hard as she dashed into the tires. Her limbs looked too long for her body, like she hadn’t grown into her height yet, but she moved fast. Determined, even if slightly clumsy. She made it to the cones, weaving between them with careful precision.

Amy’s turn.

She took a breath and sprinted forward.

Snow kicked up behind her as she ran, adrenaline pushing her faster than she thought she could manage. Her body warmed quickly with motion, the ache in her thighs drowned by the thump of her heart.

At the rope swing, she hesitated but only for a breath.

Then she grabbed it, swung too low, her boots skimming the mat and landed hard on her knees. She pushed up quickly and limped toward the bell. Her glove hit it with a dull clang.

Not the first to finish. Not the last.

When she turned, Taylor was already walking back toward her, wiping snow from her gloves.

“You okay?” she asked.

Amy nodded, catching her breath. “Landed weird.”

Taylor gave a small grunt of understanding. “Hate rope swings.”

Amy almost smiled.

Gabriela’s team was celebrating nearby, whooping in delight at placing second. Zara and Anya had taken first somehow. Anya had more speed than anyone guessed.

The group began to scatter as Ivy waved them toward a cooler with bottled water and some granola bars.

Amy followed Taylor in silence, sipping from a bottle that stung her teeth with cold.

She didn’t say thank you. Not yet. But Taylor had seen her.

And that mattered.

Lunch at winter camp was chili and cornbread in the wide, pine-paneled mess hall, served on heat-stained trays by a pair of TAs who looked like they’d rather be anywhere else. 

The warmth inside steamed Taylor’s glasses as she stepped into the room. The smell of cumin and tomato made her stomach growl, loudly. It made Amy laugh a little but not enough to ease the knot there.

Victoria was already sitting at a corner table, laughing too loudly with two other girls. She had a streak of pink chalk in her hair and a look in her eyes that Amy remembered from home. Bright, high-energy, and sharp enough to cut if you weren’t careful.

Amy got her tray and hesitated by the drink dispenser. Her sister didn’t see her. Or maybe she did and didn’t want to.

She stood still for a full minute, pretending to decide between water and apple juice.

Then she sat by herself, two tables over, her back to the rest of the room.

The food was warm. That was something.

Amy ate slowly. Her eyes flicked sideways every now and then. Victoria’s group was loud, animated, passing a phone around and shrieking over something on the screen. Maybe a meme. Maybe something from home. They looked like they’d always known each other. Like Amy had no place at their table.

She stabbed a chunk of cornbread with her fork and let it sit on her tongue too long, tasting nothing.

From the corner of her eye, Victoria turned.

For one breathless second, Amy thought she might look over. Smile. Wave. Say something like “Come sit with us,” or “Hey, I saved you a spot.”

But Victoria turned away.

Amy didn’t realize her shoulders had tensed until she felt them sag again.

Free time came after lunch. An hour of nothing, more or less. Ivy encouraged journaling, or snowshoeing, or “mindful solitude.” The group scattered.

Amy wandered.

She tried heading toward the cabin where she thought Victoria might be, but the closer she got, the more unsure she became. She didn’t want to barge in. Didn’t want to knock and be turned away. Worse, she didn’t want to knock and be ignored.

So she didn’t.

She turned back, boots crunching soft on the packed trail between buildings, frost clinging to the cuffs of her jeans. The cold was quieter now, not sharp, just ever-present. A weight she was getting used to.

She passed the fire pit, empty now, blackened from last night’s opening circle. The logs they’d sat on were still there, damp with snowmelt and shadow.

She didn’t want to go back to the mess hall.

She didn’t want to go to the trails, either.

So she went back to the cabin.

Amy opened the door quietly, not expecting anyone to be inside.

But there she was.

Taylor.

Sitting on the lower bunk at the far end of the room, one leg tucked under her, wearing a different sweater now. It was gray, fraying at the sleeve, with a patch of a mushroom sewn awkwardly near the shoulder. She looked up when Amy stepped in, not surprised, just aware.

No one else was in the cabin. Just them.

Taylor didn’t say anything at first. Just went back to what she was doing.

Reading.

A paperback rested in her lap, spine cracked, pages yellowing toward the edges. It looked like something rescued from a thrift bin. The cover was half-peeled, and Amy couldn’t quite make out the title from here.

She hesitated.

Taylor glanced up again, as if sensing the pause in her body language.

“It’s a collection,” she said, quietly. “Short stories. Mostly sci-fi. And other Gothic literature stories.”

Amy stepped in, closing the door softly behind her. The silence felt better than anything else today.

Taylor ran her thumb along the edge of the page. “You said earlier you liked reading. When we were eating breakfast.”

Amy blinked. She hadn’t thought anyone remembered that. Not even herself, really.

“I did say that,” she murmured.

“You want to read with me?” Taylor didn’t look up as she said it. “You don’t have to. Just thought you might.”

Amy crossed the floor slowly. She sat on the floor, back to the bunk frame, legs folded beneath her. “Okay.”

Taylor scooted closer to the edge of the bed, so the book could sit on the space between them. She angled it so Amy could see.

The story was already in progress. Amy didn’t ask questions. She just started reading the paragraph where Taylor had left off.

For a while, there was only the sound of turning pages.

The story was about a girl who could see time backwards. Not live it backwards. Just perceive it. Like memories reversed. She walked into rooms already knowing what would happen there. Remembered conversations before they happened. She couldn’t change anything. Couldn’t do anything with the knowledge.

She just carried it.

Amy didn’t say much. Taylor didn’t either.

Halfway through the second story, something about a ship lost in deep space and a pilot arguing with an AI that sounded like his mother. Taylor quietly offered, “You can do the voices, if you want.”

Amy gave a tiny huff of air. “I don’t really do voices.”

“Me neither,” Taylor said.

But a few lines later, she gave the AI a vaguely annoyed tone. Not robotic. Just tired.

Amy smiled without meaning to.

They read until the hour ended.

Outside, footsteps began crunching back toward the cabins. Someone laughed in the distance, and the snow muffled it to a whisper. A door slammed far off.

Amy looked up from the book. “You’ve read this before?”

“Yeah,” Taylor said. “A couple times.Didn't even know I had it with me. Kinda was in a rush when packing.”

Amy nodded. “Good choice.”

Taylor shut the cover softly.

Amy stood to leave, but didn’t move toward the door just yet. She looked at the worn book in Taylor’s hand, then at the bunk above.

“Can we read more later?”

Taylor looked at her. Not surprised, but something gentler than that. “Yeah. Of course.”

Amy nodded once and left the room.

The Evening came early in the mountains.

By four-thirty, the sun had slipped behind the treeline, casting long purple shadows across the snowbanks. The sky turned slate-gray. 

The cold deepened, not sharp yet, but hollowing, like it was settling deeper into the bones.

Dinner was quieter than lunch. The mess hall hummed with the soft clatter of trays and voices pitched low. People were tired. The day had dragged in ways no one quite expected. The novelty of “winter camp” had started to give way to the reality: cold fingers, awkward small talk, and a creeping sense of isolation.

Amy ate her stew and cornbread with Taylor this time. They didn’t talk much, but it wasn’t uncomfortable. Just quiet. Taylor picked all the carrots out of her bowl and lined them up neatly on her tray. Amy watched, amused, but said nothing.

Across the room, Victoria was sitting with a different group now. More reserved, slightly older girls, their heads bent together in conversation. She hadn’t looked at Amy once all day.

After dinner, Ivy rounded them all up in the clearing behind the lodge, where a new fire crackled between thick logs. The smell of burning pine carried on the wind, thick and sharp. The TA from earlier, Jesse tossed another log on the flames and stood back.

“Tonight,” Ivy announced dramatically, “we’re doing team rotations.

She then smiled, unbothered. “Different groups this time. You’ll rotate through three stations: Trust Walk, Icebreaker Cards, and the Flame Game.”

Someone asked what the “Flame Game” was. Ivy just winked. “You’ll see.”

They split the group into clusters of five. Amy found herself pulled into a team with Taylor, one of the quieter boys named Felix, and unfortunately or fortunately Victoria.

Victoria didn’t acknowledge her.

She stood beside Felix, arms crossed, hoodie zipped high up her throat. The firelight danced in her hair. She looked like she was freezing but trying not to show it.

Amy avoided her eyes and stood beside Taylor.

The first station was awkward by design. One person was blindfolded and had to be guided by voice through a short obstacle course. Piles of snow, ropes, cones, a folding chair.

Felix went first. Taylor guided him, using brief, precise directions: “Left… a little more… now forward two steps.”

Then it was Amy’s turn.

She tied the scarf over her eyes, cutting off her vision. The world became muffled, oddly muted. Her breath clouded inside the fabric.

She waited for Taylor’s voice.

But it wasn’t Taylor who spoke.

“Forward,” said Victoria.

Amy froze.

She thought about saying no. About asking someone else to guide her. But her pride or something like it caught in her throat.

She took one careful step.

Victoria’s voice again: “Now left. Big step.”

Amy obeyed.

They went like that, Victoria giving clipped, rapid instructions, a little too fast, a little too sharp. Amy stumbled once, catching her boot on a half-buried cone. Snow packed into her sock.

“Watch it,” Victoria snapped, and then caught herself. “I mean… careful.”

Amy clenched her jaw and finished the walk.

She untied the blindfold and didn’t look at anyone.

The next station was just a bench around a portable heater. A stack of cards in a tin box. Each card had a question. Everyone took a turn answering.

Taylor drew first.

“If you could time travel to any moment in your life, which would it be?”

Taylor shrugged. “I’d go back to when I was, like, six. There was this one Christmas where it snowed so hard we couldn’t leave the house. My mom and I made pancakes and she read to me all day. I’d do that again.”

Amy went next.

Her card: What’s something you regret not saying to someone?

The question hit her like a slap.

She almost said she’d pass.

But then she felt Taylor’s quiet presence beside her, not pushing, just… steady. Present.

Amy cleared her throat. “I… I think I regret not telling someone that I missed them.”

No one said anything.

Victoria shifted slightly but didn’t look at her.

Felix answered his question about his favorite food (“Korean fried chicken”) and the moment passed.

The last station was built around a circle of small votive candles. Each camper took a seat. Ivy and Harley explained the rules.

“There’s no winning or losing,” Ivy said. “Each of you will light a candle and then share something. Anything that you want to let go of. Just speak it, and let the flame take it.”

Harley struck a match and lit her own candle first. “I’m letting go of procrastinating on my grad school apps,” she said, with a wry smile.

Victoria went next. She struck a match and held it to the wick.

“I want to let go of needing to be perfect,” she said.

Amy flinched.

She hadn't expected that. Not from her sister.

Victoria stared into the flame a second longer, then passed the matches.

Taylor took them next. She didn’t say much. “I want to let go of assuming I’m always the problem,” she said, quietly. “Because sometimes I’m not.”

Then it was Amy’s turn.

She lit the candle.

The flame trembled in the cold, casting her face in warm orange light.

“I want to let go of… feeling like I don’t belong anywhere,” she said.

No one spoke.

The candle flickered, and she let it burn.

Back in the cabin, Amy lay in bed staring at the dark ceiling. Her fingers were cold, even under the blankets. She’d been quiet the whole walk back.

Taylor was still up, sitting cross-legged on her bunk with the book in her lap.

She spoke without looking. “That thing you said… by the fire.”

Amy didn’t answer.

Taylor closed the book. “I felt that too. Just so you know.”

Amy turned her head toward her. “The belonging part?”

“Yeah.” Taylor hesitated. “Especially here.”

Amy’s voice came out small. “Even though you seem like… I don’t know. Like you don’t care if people like you.”

Taylor gave a soft laugh. “That’s just the outside part. The inside’s… messier.”

Amy looked back at the ceiling.

“My sister used to be my person,” she said quietly. “Now it’s like I’m invisible.”

“Maybe she's not very good at showing stuff,” Taylor said. “Or maybe she’s scared, too.”

Amy blinked. “Why would she be scared?”

Taylor didn’t answer. They didn’t read that night.

But they kept the light on a little longer than usual. Their roommates didn't mind. They blacked out the moment their heads touched their pillows. Leaving Amy and Taylor as the only awake ones.

And Amy slept easier.

Chapter Text

Amy's pov

The cabin was still as a held breath. The next morning.

Outside, the trees stood coated in frost, their limbs bare and silvered under the pale touch of early morning. The windowpane beside Amy’s bunk glowed faintly with the first hints of dawn, ice filigree curling at the corners like creeping veins. She had switched beds yesterday.

Amy lay awake in the top bunk, staring up at the ceiling. Her hands were folded over her stomach, motionless beneath the blanket.

She had been awake for over an hour.

The rest of the room still slept, five beds spaced around the cabin in a loose half-circle. Soft breathing. The occasional sigh or rustle. The subtle creak of wood contracting in the cold.

She didn’t mind the silence. Silence was easy.

It was the stillness inside her own head that unsettled her.

Her thoughts wandered where they always did, back to the clinic, to white coats and fluorescent lights. To scalpel-precise memory. She could still feel the ghost of a heartbeat beneath her fingers, still hear the soft gratitude in a stranger’s voice, the weight of duty pressing behind every thank-you.

Not that she hated it. She didn’t.

But lately, she didn’t know if she was healing people… or fixing them.

Not the same thing.

She blinked slowly and shifted her head toward the far wall. The others were still curled in their beds: Gabriela, in a messy knot of limbs and blankets; Zara and Samantha sharing the bunk closest to the door; and Anya, tucked against the window, her long dark hair spilling like ink over her pillow. 

And then Taylor.

Something about Taylor's posture caught Amy’s attention. Her body was too tense, even in sleep. Her legs drawn up. Her shoulders locked.

Then the first sound came. Quiet. Muffled. A broken whimper.

Amy sat up.

Taylor twisted under the covers, a low, pained sound escaping her again, half-formed words, crushed in her throat. Her hands clutched at the bedding, white-knuckled, face twisted in a silent struggle.

Amy was moving before she made a conscious decision.

She climbed carefully down the ladder from her bunk, bare feet making no sound on the cold wood floor. The air was sharp, biting. Her steps were slow, practiced.

She knelt beside Taylor’s bed.

Taylor flinched again, breath stuttering. Her eyelids flickered but didn’t open.

A nightmare. A bad one.

Amy hesitated.

Not a doctor right now, she reminded herself. Just a girl. Just a friend. If she’ll let me be one.

But she didn’t pull back. She extended her hand gently, fingers brushing Taylor’s arm.

With a breath, she reached inward.

Not healing. Not this time. Just… adjusting.

She focused on Taylor’s nervous system. The dense lattice of signals pulsing beneath her skin. Amy didn’t need to see them to feel their rhythm. The body spoke in a language she knew by heart. She called up a controlled surge of adrenaline, enough to snap her out of REM sleep without shocking her too hard.

Taylor jerked awake with a sudden, ragged gasp.

Her eyes flew open, wild and disoriented. Her chest heaved, heart pounding hard in her throat.

Then she saw Amy.

And without thinking, Taylor reached for her.

Her arms wrapped around Amy’s shoulders, tight, desperate. Amy froze for a breath, then leaned into it, letting Taylor hold on.

She felt Taylor’s tears against her neck. Small, hot, quiet.

The girl trembled with each breath, gripping her like a lifeline. Amy said nothing. She didn’t shush her. Didn’t try to fix it.

She just stayed. And Held her close.

Across the room, a faint movement caught her eye. Anya was awake.

Lying on her side in the shadows, eyes half-lidded, watching them. Her expression unreadable.

Amy didn’t flinch.

Anya held her gaze for a beat. Then, slowly, deliberately, she gave a small nod. She didn’t say a word.

Amy nodded back, just slightly. A silent exchange. A quiet understanding between girls who didn’t talk much but saw more than they said.

Taylor’s grip loosened after a minute. Not gone, just softened.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered against Amy’s shoulder.

“You don’t have to be,” Amy murmured. “You were dreaming.”

Taylor pulled back slightly, wiping at her eyes. “It felt too real.”

Amy didn’t press.

Taylor sniffed, her voice raw. “You ….how did you know to wake me?”

“I heard you,” Amy said softly. “I didn’t want you to stay stuck in it.”

Taylor nodded, still catching her breath. “Thanks.”

Amy just looked at her.

You’re welcome stayed unspoken, but she knew Taylor heard it anyway.

A few beds creaked as the other girls shifted, still asleep. The light outside was growing bolder now, slipping across the frost-tipped window panes and brushing the floor in cold blue strokes.

Amy stood slowly, moving back to her bunk. But before she climbed the ladder, Taylor said, “You don’t have to leave.”

Amy paused, surprised.

“Only if you want,” Taylor added quickly, her voice a touch embarrassed. “I just… I don’t want to fall asleep again. Not yet.”

Amy nodded once.

She sat down on the floor beside Taylor’s bed again, folding her legs beneath her, back against the wood. They didn’t speak after that.

The room returned to silence. The early kind. The kind that wasn’t heavy, just full of possibility.

Amy let her eyes drift toward the window, to the soft morning light now inching its way across the walls.

She felt tired. But not the bad kind.

She felt… grateful.

The dawn light outside the cabin was pale, fragile as veiled glass.

Inside, the hush had spread across the wooden bunks. The other girls still slept, breathing in rhythm with the patter of early birdsong drifting from outside. Amy and Taylor, however, shared the quiet between them. A silence that had settled full and soft, heavy with unspoken proximity.

Taylor’s breath had evened out. She no longer trembled. Those first moments when she’d woken from the nightmare had been raw and jagged, but she was calming now.

Amy watched her, heart unclenching.

Finally, Taylor shifted, drew a ragged breath, then reached slowly toward the bedside table by her bunk. Her hand found something there. Amy held her breath and she lifted it carefully. The same paperback: worn, yellowing, familiar.

She held it to her chest for a moment, then turned her eyes to Amy, offering a quiet nod.

Amy smiled softly.

Taylor tapped the cover gently. “Read?”

Amy nodded. “We don’t have to.”

Taylor’s voice was hushed but steady. “I… I want to.”

They settled themselves again. Amy back on the floor, kneeling by Taylor’s bunk. Taylor propped the book open between them, spine bowed from use.

A few pages in, they began to read together again, the short story anthology that had drawn them into an unspoken companionship yesterday.

This story was different from the one before something quieter, more reflective:

A tale of two strangers delayed by a snowstorm in a remote train station. They shared stories over cold coffee, the world outside silent with drifting snow. One spoke in clipped, formal sentences; the other in paused, hesitant rhythms. Words passed between them slowly. As though they were vulnerable pieces of themselves, lent in trust.

Amy read Taylor’s lines for the reserved stranger. Her voice was soft, careful. Taylor read the other, with subtle falter and warmth. The words made time stretch slower in the cabin.

Taylor looked up at Amy after a particularly beautiful passage about the snow “carving shapes on the window that looked like waiting.” Amy didn’t know if that was exactly the text, but her pulse fluttered in recognition anyway.

“That line,” Taylor whispered. “That’s why I like this book. It sees things the way I… the way I feel, sometimes.”

Amy’s throat tightened. “Yeah.”

They stayed there, reading, until the light filled the cabin more fully, painting the walls gold and bright.

They were still turning pages when Ivy’s voice called softly from the doorway.

“Mornin’, Snowflakes!” It was lighter, sharper, without the playful Southern lilt Ivy favored. It was a version of herself that felt oddly formal like she was performing for someone outside the warm glow of camp.

Taylor and Amy both tensed up, glancing at each other surprised.

From the top bunk, Zara shot up, eyes wide, voice rising. “What’s with the accent, Ivy? That wasn’t even close to… you!”

Ivy laughed, stepping in, brushing her hair loose from its braid. “Got me, huh?”

She tossed her khaki jacket over one shoulder. “My girlfriend, Harley, dared me to do it this morning.”

Gabriela groaned from her blanket-tangle. “Tell her we don’t want to wake up to high society!”

Ivy grinned. “Oh, she’ll hear about that,” she said. Her voice had returned to its spark warm, real. She set down a small thermos on the bedside table and offered Amy and Taylor a cheery nod.

“I’ll wait out here for you all. Breakfast in thirty. Don’t be strangers. Especially you, Amy.”

She winked, and turned.

Zara called after her, deadpan “High society Ivy’s coming through. Watch for pearls and pinky raises.”

Ivy laughed again before closing the door behind her.

Amy closed the book, sliding it into Taylor’s lap.

That moment of Ivy’s offbeat accent, of Zara calling her out, of Taylor and Amy sharing the book again felt layered with something.

Taylor looked at Amy, vulnerability softened into a small, shy smile.

Amy stood up, stretching. “Let’s go,” she said softly. “I’ll help you get up.”

Taylor nodded, pushing herself up with effort, spine stiff from lying still too long.

They both dressed quietly pulling on sweaters, brushing tangled hair, pulling gloves on. The air felt crisp in the cabin, each breath visible in soft puffs.

Anya sat at her bunk still, her eyes open. She didn’t say anything, not even a comment about Ivy’s accent or the reading. She just watched Taylor and Amy with something gentle in her expression. Then she looked away, face peaceful in the morning light.

Amy caught her eye as she passed.

Anya nodded again. Amy nodded back. The silent communion between literal strangers finding silent alignment.

Outside, the morning was fresh.

Ivy waited by the cabin door, hands in her pockets.

“Thought I'd find you two still inside,” she said, bright but real. “You guys good?”

Amy stood beside Taylor, shoulders squared more than before.

Taylor offered Ivy a shy smile. “We… yeah. We’re okay.”

Ivy handed them both a hot chocolate from her thermos, just a little extra after the dare-laced accent.

“Fuel for the morning,” she said. “Campers these days can’t build themselves without cocoa.”

Gabriela ran past, whooping, heading toward breakfast.

Amy took the mug from Ivy and felt the warmth spread through her fingers, like firelight in her hands.

Taylor wrapped her own gloves a little tighter around hers, breathing in the steam.

Ivy watched them for a second longer and sighed, a soft grin curving her lips.

“You two gonna be alright?” she asked quietly.

Amy nodded.

Taylor said softly, “Yeah. We’re good.”

Ivy’s smile widened. “Good. Let’s get you to breakfast.”

They walked or shuffled, sunlight warming their faces toward the mess hall.

Amy felt something settle in her chest like warmth that had been building, quiet and unspoken, but strong.

She didn’t know what tomorrow would hold.

But in that moment, soft book in hand, Taylor’s presence by her side, the morning’s gold light resting on her shoulders. She didn’t have to keep waiting to see if belonging might come.

It already had.

The mess hall buzzed with chatter, metal trays scraping, spoons clinking, and laughter echoing against the high wooden beams. Sunlight filtered in through the long frosted windows, catching the curls of steam rising from oatmeal and scrambled eggs. The warmth of it should’ve been comforting.

Amy barely tasted her food.

She sat near the end of the table, Taylor beside her, quiet as usual. Across from them, Zara and Gabriela bickered about something, probably who had performed better in their team’s teambuilding exercises. Ivy passed behind them, offering an encouraging pat on the shoulders. There was life around her, noise, heat.

But Amy felt a sudden chill crawling up the back of her neck.

Because she remembered.

Why Victoria might be ignoring her.

One Day Ago

They were home. Still at the house.

It was late afternoon, and the winter sun had turned the hallway amber. Amy was packing her duffel on her bed, trying to decide how many sweaters she’d need for Salem’s brutal December. Victoria was in the room too, folding her own clothes with military precision.

She was taking this way too seriously.

Amy had tried to start a conversation, something casual, low-stakes. But she’d been off. Off in that way she always was when she didn’t get enough rest. When she was processing more than one emotional channel at once.

“Carol said she's considering having someone from the Wards stay nearby. Just in case. Like that’s supposed to make us feel safer,” she muttered, stuffing another hoodie into her bag.

Victoria didn’t look up. “That’s her job. She’s trying.”

Amy had snorted. It was small. A half-choked sound, mostly to herself. But she’d followed it with something worse without thinking.

“Yeah. She’s always trying. Especially when you're not here to do it for real.”

The room had gone still. Amy hadn’t noticed at first. Not until Victoria stopped folding.

Her sister’s voice had gone quiet. Not angry. Not sharp. Just cold.

“Don’t talk about her like that.”

Amy froze. She hadn’t meant it. Not really. She hadn’t been talking about their mom, not in the way Victoria had heard it. She’d been talking about Carol, about how hard she worked to act like she was their mom, and how it never really fit. To her atleast.

But it hadn’t mattered.

Victoria had walked out of the room five minutes later, and the air hadn’t warmed between them since.

Amy stirred her oatmeal without appetite, watching it dissolve into pale mush. Her appetite had been fragile to begin with. Now it felt nonexistent.

Taylor glanced at her. “You okay?”

Amy nodded too quickly. “Yeah. Just thinking.”

She caught herself twisting the spoon too tight in her hand.

Across the table, Gabriela laughed at something Zara said. Anya was further down, reading her breakfast nutrition label with an intensity usually reserved for spells or medical charts. Samantha was lying on her hands taking small bites out of her oatmeal.

Amy swallowed hard and looked down again.

She remembered the way Victoria had looked at her when she said it. Like Amy had betrayed something sacred. Like she was someone else entirely.

The memory shifted.

Not just to the packing, but earlier.

That same week, four days before they left.

It was one of the rare moments when Amy had been alone in the house with Carol. Victoria was out, running drills with the local Wards. Carol had just come in from some work meeting, shoulders wrapped in a tailored coat, gloves still on.

Amy had been in the living room, re-reading her medical materials. Trying to stay ahead. Trying not to disappoint. Trying to do… something.

Carol had sat down beside her, coat still buttoned.

“You’re not progressing fast enough,” she said plainly. “I know you’re capable of more.”

Amy had blinked at her, unsure if she’d misheard.

Carol had looked at her with that cool, measured expression, the one she reserved for meetings and interviews and assessments.

“The healing program at Brockton Bay University isn’t just an educational formality,” she’d said. “You were accepted because I pushed for it. And because your public image still carries value. That value will decline if you continue to underperform.”

Amy had opened her mouth, felt her pulse spike. “I–I'm doing what I can. I’m studying.”

“You’re hiding,” Carol had said. Not cruel. Not mocking. Just cold.

Amy had wanted to get up. Leave the room. But she’d stayed, frozen.

“I submitted your name to the emergency medicine internship at Memorial General. If you impress them, you may be accepted for post-graduation training. It’s unpaid, but the exposure is strategic.”

Amy had stared at her.

“I didn’t—agree to that.”

“You don’t need to agree,” Carol had said. “You just need to be ready.”

Now, in the mess hall, Amy stared at her food like it might unravel into something she could solve.

The memory left a hollow ringing in her ears. Not a scream. Just silence that pressed inward, like snow falling on a shut window.

Taylor nudged her, gently.

Amy looked up.

“You don’t have to talk,” Taylor said softly. “But if you want to… I’ll listen.”

Amy’s throat felt tight.

For a second she thought she might say something. Tell Taylor about Victoria, or Carol, or how it felt to always be someone else’s symbol. A healer. A legacy. A mistake.

But her voice didn’t come.

She looked down at her oatmeal. Pushed it aside.

Taylor didn’t push. She didn’t fill the silence. She just sat closer.

Outside, the wind had picked up. The windows rattled faintly.

Camp would soon move into morning drills. There’d be group activities. Movement. Cold air. Somewhere, Ivy would be preparing stations, maybe Harley too. But Amy felt a distance from all of it. Like she was floating.

Her thoughts looped back to Victoria.

How much that moment must have hurt her. How much Amy wanted to take it back.

But the truth lay deeper still.

Amy had meant it.

Not the way it came out. But somewhere beneath it, tangled in grief and pressure and Carol’s sharp words. She had resented the way she was treated when she was left behind with her. The way her time her powers had been wrapped up like something fragile and holy.

The way no one talked about it unless Amy said something wrong.

She felt it now like a weight she couldn’t shed.

She picked up her tray.

Taylor stood, too.

Neither said anything as they walked to the bin. But the silence felt different now. Less suffocating, more like shade.

One hour later

They’d be playing again soon.

Amy wasn’t sure she could focus.

But maybe that didn’t matter.

She looked at Taylor. The girl who still shook in her sleep. Who still read every sentence like it mattered. Who gave Amy space without retreating.

For now, that was enough.

She took a breath. And followed Taylor into the cold morning light.

The snow hadn’t stopped falling, though the flurries were light, mere brushstrokes across the sky. As Group Seven(Snowflakes) returned to their cabin, steam rising from their shoulders and laughter clinging to their breath, the energy had settled into something quieter, more content. The wild adrenaline of the games gave way to a comfortable fatigue. A lull before the next thing.

Inside the cabin, the warmth hit like a wave. The group peeled off outer layers, boots thudding against the wooden floor and coats hung on hooks nailed to the walls. Amy stood near her bunk, catching her breath while peeling off her damp gloves, fingers tingling as they thawed.

Taylor sat at the edge of her bed, still holding the cocoa cup she’d taken from the lodge. She took small sips, careful and quiet, her eyes watching the others but never lingering.

Gabriela flopped down across her mattress like she’d just completed a marathon. “I’m never moving again.”

Zara leaned over her, tugging her knit cap down over her eyes. “Too bad. You’ll freeze in the woods if you don’t change.”

“We’re going outside again?” Samantha asked, warming her fingers.

“Yep,” Ivy’s voice rang from the doorway. She was leaning against the cabin frame, still bundled up, arms crossed and face bright with amusement. “Ten-minute break means ten minutes. So, hike clothes, snow boots, gloves, all of it. Temps’ll drop fast once we’re past the ridge.”

“And where are we going?” asked Anya, who had quietly pulled her hair into a tight braid, her voice calm but wary.

“Just a loop. There’s a frozen stream about a mile in. Pretty spot. Good for group bonding, photos, and pretending we’re not all socially awkward misfits.”

“Sounds fake,” Taylor muttered into her cup.

Amy smirked.

“I heard that,” Ivy said. “Anyway, Harley and I will be trading off groups at the halfway point. So you’ll be stuck with just me for most of the hike. Poor you.”

Zara raised a brow. “No fake accent this time?”

Ivy gave her a faux-guilty grin. “Harley dared me to go full Southern. She gets bored easily.”

“Your fake drawl is offensive,” Gabriela said, dramatically flopping a hand to her chest.

“You say that like I care.”

With that, Ivy stepped out to give them privacy to change.

The cabin shifted into motion. Scarves were dug out of duffel bags. Sweaters were layered under coats. Amy pulled her hair back and changed into thicker leggings under her jeans, still quiet but listening. It felt... easier now. To move among them. To be part of them.

She reached for her snow boots and glanced across the room.

Taylor was tugging on an old olive-green coat, well-worn and patched at the elbow. Amy noticed the way she moved: like she was trying not to take up space. Like she’d spent years practicing invisibility.

“You got warm enough?” Amy asked softly.

Taylor looked over, blinked like she hadn’t expected the question, and then nodded. “Yeah. Thanks again… for earlier. I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

“You didn’t,” Amy said. “I was already awake.”

Taylor hesitated. “Because of Victoria?”

Amy flinched. She hadn’t brought up her sister. Not directly. Not since they arrived.

Taylor seemed to notice. “Sorry. None of my business.”

Amy shook her head. “It’s okay.”

She didn’t say anything else. She didn’t have to.

Across the room, Anya was already lacing her boots. Zara and Samantha were both teasing Gabriela for putting on a second pair of socks. It was starting to feel like routine. Not home but a place she might get used to.

Outside, the snow was deeper in the woods. Ivy led the group onto a narrow trail that wound through tall pine trees, their boughs heavy with powder. The sky was a dull gray, tinged with lavender where the sun strained behind thick clouds. The air smelled clean like cold and sap and earth.

Amy walked near the middle of the group, just behind Anya and ahead of Taylor, who had fallen into step beside Zara. Samantha was off to the side chatting animatedly with Gabriela.

At first, they were quiet. The only sound was the crunch of boots in snow and the occasional whistle of wind through the trees.

Then Gabriela started singing under her breath, some old pop song with lyrics she clearly didn’t know. Samantha joined in, off-key on purpose, and soon it became a full, ridiculous chorus. Ivy didn’t stop them.

Amy didn’t sing. But she smiled.

Halfway up the trail, the trees began to thin and the air grew colder. Ivy slowed them down, turning to walk backward so she could speak to the group.

“There’s a frozen stream just past that bend,” she said. “We’ll stop there for a few minutes. Take pictures. Catch your breath. If anyone’s too cold, tell me now.”

No one answered.

“Cool. But remember, snow gets deeper past that ridge. Stick to the trail.”

They pushed on, and true to Ivy’s word, the stream appeared within minutes. It cut through a wide clearing, the surface frozen solid and dusted with fresh snow. Icicles hung from low branches overhead. The place was unnervingly beautiful.

The group fanned out. Gabriela climbed onto a nearby log and declared herself queen of winter. Zara tried to push her off. Anya walked the edge of the stream in silence, eyes distant. Ivy took photos of the clearing, grinning when her breath fogged up her phone camera.

Amy stood at the edge of the ice and looked down at her boots.

“You ever skate?” Taylor asked, appearing beside her.

Amy shook her head. “Not since I was little. I don’t remember if I was good.”

Taylor crouched down, brushing snow off a patch of the frozen water. The ice gleamed underneath, rippling faintly in trapped motion. “I always liked watching people. Never trusted myself not to fall.”

“I’d fall,” Amy said.

Taylor smiled a little. “Probably. But you’d survive.”

Amy gave her a sidelong look. “That’s very optimistic of you.”

“You seem like the surviving type.”

For some reason, that made Amy quiet. Not in a bad way. Just thoughtful.

A few minutes later, Ivy called them back.

“Let’s keep moving. It’ll get darker soon.”

The group reassembled, and they headed back toward the trail, this time looping around the other side of the stream where Harley would pick them up. The trees seemed taller on this path. The sky dimmed to a darker shade of lavender.

As they hiked in silence again, Amy fell into step beside Taylor. Their shoulders brushed occasionally. Neither of them moved away.

The snow had picked up gradually at first like an extra hush settling over the trees. Ivy's group reached the bend in the trail just as Harley and her group emerged from the other side, their laughter cutting through the thinning air.

“Look who made it back alive!” Harley called, boots crunching through the fresh powder. She wore a ridiculous neon-orange beanie that clashed with everything she owned. Ivy shot her a look.

“No thanks to your so-called directions,” Ivy said.

Harley grinned. “Please. I could hike this place blindfolded.”

Gabriela, clapping her hands together for warmth, said, “You’re halfway there already with that hat.”

Harley mock-gasped, placing a hand over her chest. “You wound me, Gabriela.”

Their groups merged naturally, like they had done this a dozen times before. Even Anya, usually quiet, seemed to exhale a little as they fell into an easy pace along the snow-packed trail.

Amy stuck close to Taylor, eyes drifting toward the sky. The clouds had thickened. Fat flakes began to swirl around them, not in playful flurries, but dense, sharp-edged spirals. The trees on either side of the trail blurred together into a wall of white.

“This… doesn’t feel like a ‘light hike’ anymore,” Zara muttered, pulling her scarf tighter around her face.

“Yeah,” Ivy said, tone shifting. “This is starting to look bad.”

“We need to move faster,” Harley said, suddenly serious. “Visibility’s going to drop.”

Amy’s pulse picked up. The trail markers, painted wooden signs nailed to trunks were already hard to spot through the snow. Behind her, Gabriela slipped a little on the slope. Taylor grabbed her arm to steady her, and in the shuffling, Amy stepped back.

A sudden gust tore through the trees.

The group ahead vanished into white.

“Amy?” Taylor’s voice cut through the wind.

Amy turned quickly. The path was gone, obliterated beneath fresh snow. In the confusion of movement, she and Taylor had drifted too far behind. The others were only a few yards ahead, but the snow fell so thick now that distance didn’t make sense anymore.

“Ivy!” Amy called.

No answer.

Panic coiled low in her stomach. She turned in a slow circle, trying to spot movement. Anything. But all she saw was white.

“Stay still!” Taylor said, stepping beside her. “We’ll get turned around.”

“Too late,” Amy murmured.

The snow came faster now, flakes pelting her cheeks like ice shards. Her breath fogged in front of her face, mixing with Taylor’s.

“We should move,” Taylor said, voice firm. “Away from the wind.”

Amy hesitated. “What if that’s not the trail?”

“Do you want to freeze standing still?”

Amy had to agree. She didn’t.

They started walking, together, but it didn’t feel like walking. It felt like pushing through something solid. The snow reached their shins, and every step felt like dragging through syrup. The trees thinned, which should have helped but without a trail, without landmarks, it only made things worse.

“I should’ve seen this coming,” Amy muttered, barely audible over the wind.

“Why would you?” Taylor’s voice came from beside her, less harsh now. “You’re not a weather god.”

Amy gave a weak huff of breath. Hysteria slowly creeped into her voice. “No. Just a biology manipulator.”

Taylor blinked at her. Surprised. “That true?”

Amy hesitated, then nodded.

“I thought your power was healing.”

“Sort of.” She paused. “That’s what people think. I can… tweak things. Nervous systems. Hormones. Cells. Sometimes I help. Sometimes I just fix. But it’s not really healing. Not in the way people want it to be.”

Taylor was quiet for a moment. Then, “Is that how you woke me up? This morning?”

Amy glanced at her. “Yeah. Adrenaline.”

Taylor didn’t recoil. She didn’t even look surprised.

“Thanks,” she said.

Amy blinked. “You’re not… weirded out?”

Taylor gave a dry laugh. “I have nightmares about mutant rats growing out of my father's body. Trust me, I don’t get weirded out anymore.”

Amy’s throat tightened.

They walked a little further, slower now. The snow was so heavy they could hardly see more than a few feet ahead. Everything looked the same. Pale. Cold. Silent.

Amy’s legs were starting to ache. Her boots were soaked through, and her fingers burned inside her gloves. Taylor didn’t look much better, her shoulders hunched, face red from wind and cold. But she kept walking, her steps steady even as the snow rose to her knees.

“Over there,” Amy said suddenly, pointing toward a small dip in the ground, an uneven hollow nestled between two trees. “We can take cover.”

Taylor nodded, already moving. They slipped between the trees and ducked under a fallen trunk, its base hollowed out by time and rot. It wasn't a shelter, not really but it was enough to break the wind.

Amy dropped down against the bark, breathing hard. Taylor joined her, pulling her scarf off and shaking the snow from her hair.

“Do you think they’ll find us?” Taylor asked after a minute.

Amy didn’t answer right away. She wasn’t used to being powerless. At the hospital, everything had a protocol. Even in disaster, she could rely on people like Victoria to be out there fixing things. But now?

“Ivy’s smart,” Amy said. “She’ll know we’re gone.”

“But they probably think we went the right way.”

Amy didn’t say anything.

The snow muffled all sound. No wind now just a soft, ceaseless fall of white. The world had gone very quiet.

Taylor sat with her back against the tree trunk, knees pulled to her chest. Amy sat close beside her, trying not to shiver.

After a while, Taylor reached into her coat.

“I brought it,” she said, holding out the same paperback as the day before. The Left Hand of Darkness. Its edges were curled from being in her pocket.

Amy blinked. “You seriously brought that on a hike?”

“I take it everywhere.”

Amy let out a short, incredulous laugh. “You’re ridiculous.”

“Yeah. Want to read it again?”

Amy stared at her.

They were probably lost. Their fingers were numb. And Taylor was offering her a dog-eared copy of a classic sci-fi novel like it was a fireplace and hot cocoa.

“…Yeah,” Amy said finally. “Okay.”

Taylor cracked the spine open and leaned close enough that they could both read by the dim gray light.

They stayed like that for a while. The snow piled higher outside the fallen log. But inside, pressed shoulder to shoulder, breathing slowly, they read.

And for a few minutes, the cold didn’t matter.

Not as much, anyway.

Taylor's pov.

The words on the page kept blurring.

Taylor blinked hard, forcing herself to refocus. It wasn’t the cold exactly though that was there too, needling under her coat and gloves like slow knives. It was her thoughts. They wouldn’t stay still. They kept pulling her away from the book, from Amy’s shoulder beside hers, back into the silence outside the log. Back to what might be waiting for them out there in the dark.

No. Not dark yet. Not technically. But the gray of the sky had deepened, and the snow kept falling, heavy and thick like the forest was being buried alive. If it wasn’t night yet, it would be soon. The light was already dimming.

She stared harder at the page.

"Light is the left hand of darkness, and darkness the right hand of light."

Taylor read it slowly under her breath. The same line she’d read a dozen times before. It still sounded beautiful, even now, even with her teeth chattering slightly and her toes starting to go numb in her boots.

Amy was quiet beside her, still and steady, eyes moving across the words. Taylor was grateful she didn’t say anything, didn't ask how she was doing, or try to reassure her. That would’ve made it worse.

Taylor wasn’t okay. But she couldn’t afford to act like she wasn’t okay. Not now.

They were alone. They were lost. No one had found them yet, and the snow hadn’t stopped. They could already be miles off the trail.

Her stomach twisted at the thought, but she pushed it down.

She’d been through worse. She had. That was what she kept telling herself. She’d survived worse things than this. 

Cold and quiet and maybe dying out in the woods didn’t even rank top five.

Number 1, goes to hearing her mother die on the phone.

She flipped the page.

“Light’s fading,” Amy said softly beside her.

Taylor didn’t look up. “Yeah.”

“We should move before we can’t see anything.”

Taylor wanted to argue. She didn’t want to move. Moving meant being in the storm again: exposed. This little hollow under the fallen tree was a kind of safety, even if it wasn’t much. But Amy was right. They couldn’t stay here. If it got colder overnight and it would. This wasn’t going to be enough.

Taylor looked at her.

Amy’s face was pale in the light, but her eyes were calm. Steady. There was a kind of quiet weight to her that Taylor had noticed more and more over the past days. A heaviness that wasn’t sadness exactly, just a kind of worn-down control. Amy looked like someone who had spent years trying not to fall apart.

And now, even cold and lost in the snow, she looked like she was still managing it.

Taylor folded the book carefully and slid it back into her jacket.

“Okay,” she said. “Let’s move.”

The snow was almost knee-high now. Walking was like dragging her legs through wet concrete. Taylor didn’t say anything, but the ache was starting to build in her calves, and every breath burned a little in her throat.

They moved slowly, carefully, away from the hollow. Amy took the lead, not because she insisted, but because Taylor let her. Her boots cut a narrow path ahead, her steps light but certain. She paused now and then to glance at the trees looking, maybe, for landmarks or shelter. Or maybe she was just making sure Taylor was still behind her.

“Over there,” Amy said after a few minutes, pointing toward a small cluster of boulders and brush near the base of a hill.

They pushed through the snow and reached it together. It wasn’t perfect, not even close but the rocks formed a rough semi-circle, and some broken branches made a crude windbreak. They pulled more branches down to thicken the barrier, piling snow against the base to seal gaps. Then they dropped to the ground together, backs against the stone.

The cold sank in fast.

Taylor curled into herself, arms wrapped tight. “This sucks.”

Amy huffed a breath. “Yeah. It really does.”

They sat in silence.

Taylor glanced sideways. Amy had pulled her hood low over her face, nose red with cold, but her expression hadn’t changed. She just looked… tired.

Taylor wanted to say something. Anything. But her brain was quiet now, blank, the way it got when she was too far past the edge of fear.

“Do you think they’re looking for us yet?” she asked finally.

Amy was quiet for a moment, then nodded. “Ivy and Harley are smart. They’d have noticed by now. And Vicky wouldn't ever leave me. No matter how angry she is.”

“But we went the wrong way.”

“I know.”

Taylor felt something tight twist in her chest. Her body wanted to shiver but was too tired to try.

She closed her eyes for a second. Thought of the others back at the cabin. Warm, probably. Laughing. Sitting around with hot drinks and blankets and electric heaters.

They’d be organizing search teams. Maybe already combing the trails.

But there were miles and miles of woods out here. Endless turns. Dead ends. Paths that looked like trails but weren’t.

They might not be found.

Taylor bit her lip and opened her eyes.

“I’m not scared,” she said, voice flat.

Amy raised a brow at her. “Okay.”

“I’m not,” Taylor insisted. “I’ve been through worse.”

“I believe you.”

Taylor swallowed. “But I don’t want to die out here.”

Amy turned her head, meeting her eyes.

“You won’t.”

“You don’t know that.”

“No,” Amy said quietly. “I don’t. But I’m not letting anything happen to you.”

Taylor stared at her. Her breath caught.

“Why?”

Amy gave her a faint smile. “You’re the only person here who doesn’t look at me like I’m dangerous.”

Taylor let out a dry laugh. “You are dangerous.”

“I know. But you don’t flinch.”

Taylor looked away. “People don't flinch at me. They usually just ignore me now. I know how it feels to be treated differently.”

The wind picked up again, whistling through the gaps in the rocks. The snow kept falling, soft and steady.

Taylor shivered once, then leaned sideways just slightly, resting her head against Amy’s shoulder.

Amy didn’t move for a second. Then she shifted, letting Taylor lean more comfortably. She didn’t say anything.

Taylor closed her eyes.

Somewhere, far away, Ivy was calling out names through the storm. Harley's flashlight flickered across trees and snowbanks, her voice hoarse from yelling. Anya had volunteered to join the search, her expression unreadable as she paced the perimeter of the trailhead with a map in hand. Zara and Gabriela huddled in the cabin, anxious and restless, waiting for news.

But Amy and Taylor didn’t know that.

They only had each other, the book, and a sky that kept getting darker.

The storm wasn’t letting up.

But they weren’t letting go either.

Third person pov

The cold had teeth now.

It bit through fabric and skin, gnawing at bone. No matter how close they huddled together, no matter how tightly they wrapped their arms and legs, Taylor and Amy couldn’t stop shivering. The wind howled outside their makeshift shelter of rocks and snow-packed branches, dragging icy tendrils through every crack it could find. The night had settled fully now, thick and oppressive, and they had no fire. No food. No rescue yet.

But they had each other.

Amy sat with her back against the stone, legs curled, Taylor tucked close beside her. Her arm was around the younger girl’s shoulders, and she’d wrapped her other hand inside Taylor’s glove to keep their fingers warm.

Taylor was trembling harder now, despite everything. Her breath came out in small, ragged clouds.

“I-it’s g-getting worse,” she murmured, teeth chattering.

“I know.” Amy’s voice was soft but steady. She didn’t sound afraid. Just focused. "Try to keep moving your fingers and toes. Just a little. It'll help."

Taylor nodded numbly.

They sat like that for a long while. The only sound between them was the wind and the dry scratch of branches against snow. When the silence grew too heavy, Amy spoke.

“Want to hear a hospital story?”

Taylor blinked up at her, bleary. “What?”

“I used to tell them to myself when I couldn’t sleep. Want to hear one?”

Taylor hesitated… then nodded.

Amy took a slow breath. Her voice was quiet, but not uncertain. “There was this one patient I remember. Older guy. Maybe late sixties. His bones were like chalk. He kept breaking ribs every time he coughed. But he still kept joking with the nurses like he didn’t care.”

Taylor stayed still, head against Amy’s shoulder.

“One day I found him crying in the supply closet. Said he didn’t want anyone to see. Said he was scared.” Amy's voice dipped. “He thought he didn’t have the right to be scared, because he wasn’t dying. Just in pain. Constant pain.”

Taylor’s fingers twitched in hers.

“What happened to him?” she asked softly.

Amy exhaled. “He lived. I kept coming back to check on him. Started helping where I could, even when no one asked me to. I kept his pain low. Made sure he could breathe. I wasn’t supposed to… but I did it anyway.”

Taylor looked up at her. “Did he know?”

Amy gave a faint nod. “He figured it out. Told me one day he knew I was cheating the rules to help him. He said…” Her voice went quiet for a second. “He said thank you. And then he cried again.”

Taylor was silent.

Then, in a small voice: “You were a good doctor.”

Amy gave a faint, sad smile. “I wasn’t a doctor.”

“You shoould’ve been.”

The snow kept falling. Their breaths came slower now, the adrenaline starting to wear off. Amy could feel Taylor’s head getting heavier against her shoulder, and she knew they couldn’t let themselves fall asleep. Not yet.

“Another one?” she asked.

Taylor nodded, slower this time.

Amy told her about a girl who kept dreaming herself awake. Said the IV drips would turn into vines in her dreams and pull her back into her own body. Taylor half-listened, half-drifted. Eventually, she wasn’t responding. Her eyes were closed. But she was still breathing.

Amy stayed awake as long as she could.

Victoria's pov

Far above the trees, the sky cracked open.

A golden streak cut through the clouds like a blade. Victoria Dallon flew fast and sharp, the wind streaming past her ears as she scoured the landscape. Her eyes burned as she scanned the white forests below.

She’d gotten the call thirty minutes ago. Thirty minutes too late.

Amy was missing.

Amy was missing.

Victoria hadn’t waited. She had left a confused Felix and a tense Stacey standing in the middle of the kitchen hall. No questions. No permission. Just flight. Her new friends had probably called something after her, some order, probably but she hadn’t listened.

She didn’t care.

She couldn’t.

Not this time.

“She could be dying down there,” she whispered to herself, voice choked by the wind. “She could be alone.”

She wasn’t even aware of the tears freezing on her cheeks.

Victoria flew faster.

Below her, the search teams. Tiny ants in the snow were combing the area. Floodlights. Quads. Nothing was working. The trees were too dense. The storm was too thick.

“She has powers,” Victoria said aloud. “She could be hiding it. Or she’s too weak to use them. Or she’s…..”

Her voice cracked, and she dropped lower, nearly clipping the tops of the pines.

She wouldn’t stop. She would fly all night if she had to.

Third person pov

Back in the woods, Amy and Taylor lay still.

The wind had slowed. Just a little. The branches above them creaked softly. The snow had settled deeper around their shelter, muting the world into silence.

And beneath them….

The rune began to glow.

It was invisible under the snow at first. A massive symbol, etched in ancient precision into the stone beneath the forest floor. Hidden for years. Long enough for nature to forget it was ever there. But now, as the two girls pressed close together, sharing warmth and breath and blood and fear.

The lines shimmered.

Faint blue at first, like the last glimmer of starlight behind clouds.

Then brighter.

A soft hum began to rise from the ground. Amy stirred, but didn’t wake. Taylor’s lips parted, a small, quiet exhale escaping her mouth as the sound brushed her skin.

The rune pulsed once.

Twice.

Then the world twisted.

There was no flash. No blinding light. Just a sudden absence. A feeling like space folding sideways, like breath being sucked out of a room.

And then…

They were gone.

The shelter remained. The broken branches. The shallow imprint in the snow where their bodies had been.

But the girls?

Vanished.

The forest fell silent again, except for the wind.

And then even that stopped.