One More Trigger Pt 6 (Patreon)

Before

Sabah stood at the door. Mrs Howell had put her there, with an admonition not to let anyone in without paying for the privilege. Her job was also to watch for adults trying to sneak in; if they weren’t working here, as she was, she had to get them to show their school ID.

It had been really nice meeting Lily. The other girl was smart and beautiful and funny, and had a knowing way of looking at her that gave Sabah a warm feeling deep inside. Her parents and relatives were old-country and old-school, and there was no talking to them about the feelings she had. But Lily, she suspected, knew very well what she felt, and even perhaps reciprocated those feelings.

It’s certainly worth spending the time to find out, she thought, with a secret smile.

Lily had mentioned that she was thirsty, and had asked her if she wanted a drink as well. So of course she had smiled and accepted the offer. Lily had gone off through the crowd, moving easily and smoothly. Sabah had appreciated her back view before she was hidden by the press of people.

And then more people approached the door. She looked up with a smile and said, “Excuse me, but this is a private party. Do you have school identification?”

The young man at the head of the group nodded. “Yeah,” he said in accented English. “I got identification.” Leaning close in to the table, he reached into his jacket; it opened, and she saw that his hand was gripping the butt of a pistol.

“Are you going to let us in, or do I take it out and show you better?” he asked.

Her mind froze up. She had only just recently begun experimenting with animated cloth animals, and she had none here.

“Please,” she quavered. “Don’t hurt anyone. We have money. Take it, please.”

“Yeah, we might,” he said, and entered. Rounding the table, he stood at her side, holding her arm, grinning at her obvious fear, as more of his cronies entered.

What do I do? she asked herself. What do they want?

***

Lily pushed through the crowd to the punchbowl. Sabah was cute, and sweet, and adorably shy. She was so petite, it was hard to believe that she was older than Lily. But yet ... there was something about her, something that betrayed a loneliness. Loneliness that Lily recognised; she herself had felt on more than one occasion.

While Sabah had not said as much, it seemed to Lily that she had caught several glances filled with sharp interest. She wanted to know more, to see if Sabah really thought that way about her.

I do believe I will ask her on a date. The worst that can happen is that she will say no ... and somehow I don’t think that will happen. Lily smiled as she reached the punch bowl and picked up a cup.

***

Emma and Madison circled the dance-floor. Madison seemed to be enjoying herself immensely, but there was something concerning Emma.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

“What?” asked Madison, as the music hit a high point.

“I said, are you okay?” repeated Emma. “Lily seems to have abandoned you.”

“Yeah, I know,” said Madison with a fatalistic shrug. “She was nice, but I think we were both just seeing how we went together.”

“I thought you went together quite well,” Emma commented.

“She’s fun to flirt with and kiss,” said Madison, “but we had a talk and I'm not really after the same things in a relationship that she is.” She shrugged again. “But I did enjoy meeting her.” A grin. “And she's a wonderful kisser.”

Emma grinned back. “So, have you met any nice boys?”

“Nice ones?” asked Madison. “No. Hot ones? Yes.” She grinned. “I might try kissing some of them. Just for comparison purposes, you understand.”

Emma chuckled. “Of course.”

***

Taylor glared at Greg.

***

During

The Azn Bad Boys moved into the centre casually, easing along the walls. When most of their number were inside, spread out along the walls, their nominal leader stepped up to the stereo system that was supplying the music, pulled his pistol, and pumped several rounds into it.

Everyone turned at the gunshots as the music spluttered to a halt. There was a moderate amount of screaming. He called out over the hubbub, his voice loud and harsh, with Asian intonations.

“Everyone, down on the ground! Hands where we can see them! We hear sirens, we shoot people! Down! Down! Down!”

People started lowering themselves to the ground; slowly at first, to try to protect their good clothes, impatiently, he fired two more gunshots into the ceiling. After that, they hugged the ground.

***

Taylor ran through all the curse words she knew in her head, then started again. This is the last time I go anywhere without a sizeable swarm at my command. Even if I’m just going out for a burger.

There was a substantial number of spiders in the ceiling of the community centre, however. Not so many mosquitoes around, and very few bees or other stinging insects. January wasn’t so good for that. I’ll have to make do.

She began bringing the spiders into groups, putting together an ad hoc swarm. There were holes allowing access to the ceiling space; the spiders could get out that way.

Greg went to lie down beside her, then started to half-crawl on top of her.

“Greg!” she hissed. “What are you doing?”

“Protecting you if they start shooting!” he hissed back.

If they want to kill me, they’ll shoot you, roll your body off me and then shoot me, she didn’t say. “Get off me!” she whispered, jabbing him in the ribs with her elbow. He looked hurt but got off her.

***

Lily spun around at the first shot. She saw the young men arranged along the walls and felt sick. We are in so much trouble.

The order was given to get down on the floor. Thinking quickly, she grabbed a handful of discarded plastic butter-knives from the table, then obediently got down on the ground.

***

Emma was still dancing with Madison when the gunfire went off. She turned, shocked, along with everyone else. “Emma?” quavered Madison.

“Sh,” said Emma, just as the command to lie down was given. She hated to do this to the dress, but if it was her or the dress that was to survive ... well, she could always get another dress.

Madison was looking particularly nervous, for which Emma did not blame her. “I’m sorry I got you into this,” she whispered.

Emma squeezed her hand supportively. “It’s okay,” she whispered. “We’ll get out of this.” She didn’t feel as certain as she sounded, but she had to keep Madison calm. Raising her head slightly, she tried to keep an eye on what was going on.

***

Kenta strode in through the entrance to the community centre, flanked by two of his men. He had to duck slightly to avoid the lintel. This is good, he thought. That Empire bitch Purity released our last shipment. She tried to tell us that we could not transact business here in Brockton Bay. She will learn that the ABB do business where and when we like. And if that means a few white girls disappear from a dance in Brockton Bay, destined for Thai brothels, then so be it. We will have our way.

“All of you, be quiet!” he commanded, his voice quelling the whimpers and sobs that had been arising from the supine dancers. “Some of you will be coming with us. The rest of you will not be harmed – so long as those that come do not resist. The ransom demands will be delivered shortly.”

Let them think of this as a simple kidnapping, he thought, with a smile behind the metal mask. By the time they learn otherwise, it will be far, far too late.

He turned to the men flanking the door. “[Start sending them out,]” he said in Chinese. “[When we have enough, kill the rest. Make it look like a robbery gone wrong.]”

“[It will be hard to make it look like a robbery,]” protested one of the men. “[It will look suspicious.]”

“[All we need to do is muddy the trail a little. Take their jewellery and wallets. But only after they are dead. For now – the girls. The young and pretty ones.]”

He stepped out through the door.

***

Taylor saw the tall Chinese man, clad all in black, wearing a metal mask. She thought she knew who he was; she had read about him on the Parahumans Online boards. His name was Lung and he’d once taken on Leviathan and driven him off. That means that these guys are ABB, Azn Bad Boys. Bad news.

He spoke in some language which she supposed was Chinese, and then left again. Two of the men started moving between the people, bending down to look. Almost immediately, a girl was jerked to her feet.

Her blood ran cold. They’re kidnapping girls. This can in no way be good. “Outside! Outside!” shouted the men, gesturing with their guns.

Taylor gritted her teeth. It was hard to coordinate swarms. Practise was making it easier, but it didn’t help that men were pointing guns at the crowd. She tried to look toward Emma, then suddenly realised that Greg had slid his phone from his pocket and was fiddling with it.

“What the hell are you doing?” she whispered. “They said not to call the police!”

“I’m not,” he whispered in return. “I’m posting to the Parahumans Online boards! I’m telling them Lung’s here!”

Oh god, he’s going to get us both killed, she decided with dread. She had just decided to try to grab the phone from him when a foot smashed down on it. Plastic shattered and bones crunched; Greg let out an agonised scream. Taylor looked up at a Chinese man, who was pointing a gun at Greg’s head.

“We say you do not call for help, little boy,” said the man in accented English. “You call. Maybe I should kill you.”

Greg moaned and hugged his hand to his chest. The man kicked him in the ribs, then bent down and seized Taylor by the wrist. He lifted her up a little, looked down at her, then sniffed and let her go again. “You’re lucky, boy. Your girl stays behind.”

Never before in my life, thought Taylor, have I considered myself lucky for not being pretty enough. Because she could see it was only the pretty girls being chosen. She looked around, saw Emma.

***

Emma lifted her head slightly and looked around. A man was standing over where Taylor was lying; he lifted her up, then let her go again. Across the room, they made eye contact. Ready when you are.

A hand roughly grabbed her arm; at the same time, Madison gave a frightened squeak. She had been looking in the wrong direction; two men had come up to where she was lying without her seeing them.

Emma saw Madison’s frightened face as she was half-lifted, half-dragged away toward the door. Her own captor lifted her, looked approvingly at her face and body, then frowned.

“You look familiar,” he began to say.

She recognised him also; he was the thug who had given the girl the knife in the alley, two and a half years ago. He was a little older, a little more scarred, but it was the same guy.

“Yeah,” she said. “It’s me. The ginger bitch.”

And she let go with a punch that collected him cleanly on the jaw, rocking him back on his heels.

At the same time, she unleashed her growing terror and anger; her hair unravelled and sprang outward in all directions. It wrapped around the thug, and every one of his comrades that she could see. As the tendrils made contact, she sent a burst of power flowing outward, causing them to convulse and then drop to the ground, twitching feebly.

Distantly, she was surprised by the reach she now had. When she first got her powers, she couldn’t reach more than about ten feet with her hair tendrils. Now, she was stretching them thirty feet with ease.

***

Taylor saw Emma go on the offensive, and blinked. That was ... impressive.

But even as she climbed to her feet, she saw that there was one man left. He had been too close to Sabah, and had been holding her arm. Tendrils had wrapped around him but Emma had dared not electrocute him, because it might harm her.

***

Lily blinked, but she decided to be impressed later. All but one of the bad guys in the hall were down, and that one had a hostage. Sabah.

Struggling against the tendrils holding him he brought the gun to her head. A tendril was wrapped around his mouth, preventing him from shouting a warning to those outside, but his meaning was obvious. Let me go or I shoot.

***

Emma froze. If I zap him, his finger will spasm on the trigger, she thought.

***

Lily threw the butter knife.

It should not have reached so far. It should certainly not have travelled in such a straight trajectory. But she had imbued it with her power, and such minor things as gravity and air resistance meant nothing to it.

It came to rest partially inside his hand, partially inside his gun ... and partially inside his throat.

He made an odd choking noise, and let Sabah go, before falling to his knees.

***

Lily moved forward; Sabah pulled away from the ABB thug and ran to her. They met, held each other. Lily smiled down at Sabah; there was a moment of perfect understanding.

“After this shit ... we’ll talk, okay?” said Lily softly.

Sabah nodded. “Yes,” she replied. “We’ll talk.” Her eyes said a lot more.

Lily kissed her once, then disentangled herself and headed for the door, all business once more.

***

Taylor got up, ignoring Greg, and followed Lily. She sent her spiders swarming on ahead,

Emma’s hair had contracted slightly, but it still waved about her head in its typical seaweed effect. Taylor noted that she had put two tendrils down to act as a makeshift mask around her eyes.

***

They made it to the doorway and looked outside. A large moving van stood nearby, the doors open; the girls were being forced at gunpoint to climb into the back.

But that was as much as they saw, because Lung himself was moving toward them, to see what the delay was.

“Come on,” he shouted. “Move, or you will regret it!”

***

Madison climbed into the back of the truck. The movement was awkward and disarranged her dress enough that the two guards stationed within saw more than they really should have.

One of them turned to the other and said something in Chinese. The other said something that sounded argumentative. The first said something else; the second one laughed.

The first one grabbed her arm. She cowered back. "Oh god please no," she whimpered. For all that she flirted shamelessly, she was still a virgin. And for all they they had spoken in Chinese, she had a very good idea of what they intended.

She struggled, but they were too strong.

Forcing her down on the bed of the truck, the first guard pushed her skirt up to her waist.

Leaving the other guard to hold her down, he began unbuckling his trousers.

***

I’ll make you regret it, thought Taylor.

Despite the chill night air, there were a few insects out here, and the spiders from in the hall. Taylor was finding it easier to control them now; perhaps it was the combat conditions, perhaps that she knew she had to get it right the first time

The bugs swarmed across the ground, attacking Lung’s men, causing them to flail about and take their eyes off the girls. More attacked Lung; he grunted and swatted at them, but did not seem overly hampered.

“What is this?” he bellowed. “Capes? I face little girls!”

***

There was an odd discontinuity, where Emma, Taylor and Lily all staggered, disoriented. Even Lung seemed to falter. Something had happened, they knew. But they didn’t know what. At least, not then.

***

Madison sagged back against the wall of the truck. She remembered to push her skirt down again. She was breathing hard, her heart pumping rapidly.

Something had happened. She had a fading memory of ... something. But she didn’t know what. And now the two guards were lying unconscious - or dead - on the other side of the truck. And she had no idea how they had gotten there.

The other girls in the truck were staring at her with a mixture of fear and respect.

"How did you do that?" whispered one of them.

***

Some of the men raised guns in their direction; Lily threw more of her plastic butter-knives. Each one penetrated a gun, became one with its mechanism.

Emma’s hair lashed out, tendrils seeking the foe. A red streamer latched on to an arm or a leg, and power crackled down it. The men convulsed, dropped. Lung staggered, fell to one knee.

And then he rose again.

“I am Lung!” he bellowed, grasping the tendrils, wrenching them away from him. Metal plates burst from his skin, covered him like scales. Fire burst outward from him, incinerating those insects on or near him.

Emma gritted her teeth and sent more tendrils snaking toward him. They wrapped around him, binding his arms to his sides. She noted that his fire did not burn her hair, did not destroy it.

That’s actually a good thing.

She tried another taser-burst on him; he roared in pain, but the metal plates conducted it to the ground.

I have to try something different.

***

Crouched in the truck, Madison looked around at the girls in there with her. I can't let it affect me. I have to be brave. I have to show the others that I’m not scared. I have no idea what happened just now, but I'm glad it did.

“Come on,” she urged. “Let’s get out of here.”

Staring first at her, then at the supine guards, the girls quickly nodded agreement.

They moved to the rear of the truck and pushed open the door, which had swung mostly shut.

***

Lily balanced her last butter knife in her hand. If I go for a shot, it has to be a kill shot, or it won’t even bother him.

She watched Emma with concern; the redhaired girl’s face was taut with concentration. If she can’t stop him ... I will.

***

Lung hunched his shoulders and bellowed again, pulling the encircling tendrils apart, forcing Emma’s grip to loosen. The metal scales on his body had grown, making him even taller and wider. A gout of flame roared from his mouth; Emma shrieked and threw a mass of hair into its way. It dissipated, but the hot air still rolled over them, making them cough and choke.

“I am LUNG!” he bellowed once more, and again fire burst out from him.

This time it was much fiercer; blasting in all directions, scorching the front of the community hall. Emma was driven back a step from the sheer force of it, and the three girls felt fire licking at their clothing before it receded.

From beyond Lung, they heard a scream.

***

Madison was just helping the last of the girls down from the truck – tight dresses and high heels do not make for ease of climbing – when the wave of flame came at them. She screamed, instinctively shielding the other girls with her body, throwing out her hand, palm out, in a futile shielding gesture.

The flames roared toward them ... and inexplicably parted, just short of her hand. Only the radiant heat reached them, drying the sweat from their faces.

But the fire never got closer than three feet.

They existed, unharmed, in a bubble of cool air.

***

Emma went cold all over. Madison.

Her tendrils lashed out at Lung once more, but this time they did not try to hold him. Instead, they burrowed between his scales, down to find his bare flesh, all over his body. He inhaled, ready to blast them with another fireball ... but before he could do so, she struck.

Every erg of electricity that she could generate slashed down the hair tendrils, down between the scales ... and grounded out in his body.

Lung arched his back and screamed in agony. His armour lit up from within, sparks flying off him, arcing to anything metal in the vicinity. He convulsed, jerking spasmodically. His fire sputtered and went out.

And then he crashed to the ground. Emma withdrew her tendrils. Wisps of smoke rose slowly from his supine body.

***

Taylor ran past him, past the ABB thugs. Some of these, especially the ones that had been closest to Lung’s temper tantrum, were definitively dead, or they would soon wish they were. But somehow, she could not feel much sympathy for them.

“Taylor?” she heard from in front of her.

“Madison!” she cried out with relief.

“Madison?” repeated Emma. “You’re alive? Oh, thank god!”

Madison stumbled out of the darkness, with several other girls. Taylor hugged her tightly. “Are you all right?” she asked.

“I’m good,” Madison murmured. “The fire never touched us.”

Emma reached them, wrapping her arms around the both of them in a tight hug. “Mads, you’re alive!” she said, her voice breaking. “I thought you were ...”

“No, I’m good,” said Madison again. “The fire just ... went around me. Us. We never got touched.” She shivered. "i can still see it coming at me. I thought I was going to die."

"Well, it's okay now," said Emma comfortingly. "You're safe."

Madison closed her eyes. She could still feel the guard's rough hands on her body. I don't know if I'll ever feel safe again.

***

After

Turbines sounded in the night sky, and a PRT transport grounded; the Wards emerged.

By this time, Emma had gotten the surviving ABB members into one group, where they were groaning their way back to consciousness. No-one was even sure how to check for life signs with Lung.

Aegis took charge, getting the ABB people secured and ensuring that there were no other dangers in the area. He approached Emma and Taylor, who were standing with Madison, Lily and Sabah.

“Well,” he said. “This is impressive. I’m presuming you took down Lung?”

Emma nodded wanly. “I thought he’d killed Madison,” she said. “I just got so mad.”

Aegis nodded. “It seems you had a lucky escape.” He frowned. “And what’s this I hear about bugs attacking some of the men? Is this a new power you’ve gotten?”

Emma shook her head. “It’s a long story,” she said. “I’ll tell you all about it later.”

He nodded. “So, have you made your mind up about joining the Wards? We could really use someone like you.”

Emma took a deep breath and leaned on Taylor and Madison. “That’s not a decision I want to make right now,” she said softly. “Too much has happened, and right now I just want to curl up on the sofa for some ice cream therapy.”

Aegis nodded again. “I can understand that.” He smiled. “Well, keep in touch.”

***

Lily watched him walk away. “He’ll debrief me later, of course,” she said quietly. “I’ll have to tell him what I saw you do.”

Taylor nodded. “I understand.” She smiled at Lily. “That was some awesome throwing skills.”

Lily shrugged slightly. “It’s my power, mainly. And I had to get it right first time, so I did.” She smiled down at Sabah, who had not moved from her side.

Sabah returned the smile, then reached up to kiss her gently on the lips.

***

From next to Taylor, Madison said softly, “They look so complete together.”

“Jealous?” asked Emma lightly.

“Hardly,” Madison smiled wanly. “She looks so happy. I can’t even begin to compete with that.” She tried to giggle. “And she showed me how much fun it is to kiss girls. I can’t be mad at her for that.”

“Okay,’ said Taylor. “I have just one question.”

“What?” asked Madison.

“Just how did you get out of that without being burned to a crisp?”

Madison told them. They looked at one another.

“Well holy crap,” said Emma.

“With cheddar cheese on top,” Taylor added.

“We’re gonna have to talk about this later,” said Emma.

"Definitely," agreed Taylor.

Madison wrapped her arms around her body. I really don't want to talk about this, she thought. But these are my friends. How can I say no to them?

***

Sabah and Lily watched the PRT transports lift off with the prisoners. Lung, it appeared, had survived, but he would be a long time mending. Emma had basically fried his entire nervous system. Fire, he was immune to. Electricity, not so much. Only his regeneration had even kept him alive.

PRT troops were working at getting witness statements from the people on site. At the same time, parents and friends were arriving to pick up those who did not have their own transport.

“So,” said Sabah softly. “You’re really Flechette, of the Wards.”

Lily nodded. “Yeah. Is that going to make things weird?”

Sabah shook her head. “Oh no, it isn’t.” She smiled up at Lily. “So you live on base?”

Lily nodded. “I’m from New York. I don’t have a place here.”

“Do you have to go back to base tonight?” asked Sabah.

Lily considered. “Not right this minute, no,” she admitted. “Why?”

“Because I’ve got a dorm room to myself, back at the college, and I really, really don’t want to be alone for the rest of the night,” said Sabah softly.

Lily smiled down at her. “I think that can be arranged.”

Sabah laid her head on Lily’s shoulder. “I’ve only got the one bed,” she warned playfully. “We’re going to have to share.”

Lily rested her cheek on Sabah’s head, and smiled into the darkness. “Good.”

***

Greg stumbled out of the community hall. “Taylor!” he called. “Taylor!”

Taylor looked around. “Greg? What the hell? Have you even had your hand seen to yet?”

He cradled his injured hand with his good one. “Not yet,” he confessed. “I wanted to see you first, make sure you were all right.”

“Well, I’m all right,” said Taylor tartly. “Go get your hand seen to.”

He looked at her, bewildered. “Aren’t you happy that I’m safe?”

“After the boneheaded stunt you pulled with your phone, and nearly got us both killed?” asked Taylor. “You tell me.”

“I ... I just wanted to be a hero,” he said lamely. “I wanted to prove to you ...”

“What the hell?” snapped Taylor. “All that screwing around in there? Trying to climb on top of me, fooling with your phone? All that was to impress me?”

“Well, yeah,” he said. “Taylor, I think I’m in l –“

“Don’t you dare finish that sentence!” she snarled. “To make things absolutely clear, Greg, I don’t like you, I don’t want to be near you, and you getting hurt was your own damn fault.” She pointed at the PRT medics. “So go, get your hand treated, and don’t even think about talking to me unless it’s specifically about schoolwork.”

He stared at her. “I think you really are a lesbian,” he mumbled, then turned and stumbled off.

Emma watched him go. “Is it me, or does he really not get the hint?” she asked.

Taylor sighed. “Trust me,” she said. “It’s not you.”

***

Later

Danny was working on the paperwork when he got the phone call.

“Hebert,” he said distractedly, balancing the receiver between ear and shoulder.

“Danny, it’s Alan. Have you been watching the news?”

Danny stopped. “No. Why?” A cold chill went down his back. “Are the girls –“

“They’re fine,” Alan assured him. “They’re at my house. They’ve had a bit of a scare, but they’re all okay.” He paused. “Taylor says hi, and that she really wants a hug right now.” He paused. "Drive carefully, please. Taylor wants to see you in one piece."

Thirty seconds later, Danny was pulling away from the curb in his truck.

***

By the time he got there, all three girls had bathed and changed into pyjamas; Emma had donated spare sets of flannels for the other two. Taylor was too skinny for hers, and Madison too short, which occasioned much laughter as they snuggled up on the sofa with bowls of ice cream.

Taylor rose and put her bowl down as he entered the room. “Dad!” she said, and hugged him tightly.

He looked anxiously at her. “You’re all right?” he asked.

She nodded. “Really, I’m all right,” she assured him. “You should have seen Emma, though,” she added. “She was badass.”

Emma shuddered delicately. “Please don’t use that word,” she said. “Sophia used it all the time. I’m kinda sick of it.”

Taylor grinned; Madison smiled wanly.

“Anyway,” said Taylor, “I just wanted to see you and let you know I’m okay.”

Danny smiled gratefully and hugged her again, then looked at the pyjamas. “I presume you’re having a bit of a sleepover?”

Taylor nodded. “Madison checked with her dad, and he says it’s okay. And right now, I really need to be with my friends. We all do.”

Danny nodded. “I can understand that,” he said. He smiled. “Call me in the morning when you need a lift, okay?”

She smiled and hugged him again. “Thanks, Dad. You’re the best.”

***

Three mattresses were laid out on the floor of Emma’s bedroom, and made up with sheets and blankets. One of these was the mattress from Emma’s own bed, which she dragged off herself to bring it down to the same level as the others.

They lay in bed after the lights were turned down, talking quietly, going over the events of the evening.

“So Madison,” said Taylor at last, going up on one elbow and looking at the petite girl in the semi-darkness. “Air control powers, huh?”

“Yeah,” said Madison pensively. She paused. "It ... I ... the guards in the truck ... they ..."

Abruptly, she rolled off the mattress and bolted for the bathroom.

***

She got most of the way there, but the overlong legs of her pyjama pants tripped her up. She fell, crawled, and then vomited all over the bathroom floor. Up it all came; ice cream, the party food she'd had, everything she had eaten over the previous day.

Taylor and Emma followed after her; Taylor helped her to the toilet and held her hair out of the way while she threw up again and again, until nothing else seemed to be coming up, and she was sobbing convulsively.

Emma had gotten a container of hot water with detergent in it, and began cleaning up the mess on the floor; she caught Taylor's eye, and silently indicated the shower with a tilt of her head. Taylor nodded; Madison had gotten a fair bit on herself and her borrowed pyjamas, and Taylor herself had caught a splash or two as well.

So she turned the shower on, and helped Madison out of her filthy pyjamas and into the shower, where she sat in one corner with her arms around her knees, still crying.

Taylor sighed, and took off her own pyjamas - they had caught a splash or two, themselves - and stepped into the shower with her. She helped Madison to her feet, and washed the strings of vomit from her hair, and soaped it from her skin, and held her while she cried.

Madison threw up twice more in the shower, but only bile was coming up now. Taylor soothed her with soft words until she had calmed down, and then helped her from the shower, where Emma was waiting with huge fluffy towels and even fluffier bathrobes.

***

Back on the mattresses, freshly bathed, in new pyjamas - Emma confessed that she had too many sets, each in a different pastel colour - Madison was subdued, but able to talk about it.

"They wanted to ..." she began, then gestured at herself. "They didn't, but I thought they were going to, and I was terrified." She sniffled; Emma handed her a box of tissues, and she blew her nose. She looked at Taylor and Emma. "I can't believe I felt jealous of you for having powers. What you must have gone through to get them ... I feel so stupid now."

Taylor sat up and moved over to Madison's mattress. "I'm sorry too, Mads. I thought that whatever you'd gone through, you'd handled it." She hugged the petite girl. "I should have been thinking more."

Emma hugged her from the other side. "Me too. After all, it took both of us to help Taylor through her aftermath, and I cried on Talyor's shoulder for months after mine. It was stupid of me to think that yours would be any easier."

Madison began to cry again, but this time it wasn't from suppressed trauma, but from release of emotion. They held her while she let it out, her tears absorbed by the thick flannel pyjamas.

"Okay," said Emma. "We're gonna be right here all night if you need us, okay, Mads?" She grinned and pushed a lock of Madison's hair back from her face. "And guess who just graduated from sidekick status.”

Madison responded with a watery smile. "Thanks, guys."

She lay down on her mattress, which just so happened to be between the other two, and looked at Taylor and Emma as they moved to their own beds.

“Thanks for everything, guys,” she said softly. “I love you both.”

“We love you too, Mads,” said Emma. “Sweet dreams.”

“Night,” responded Madison.

“Night,” agreed Taylor.

Emma reached out a tendril and turned off the lights. 

Part 7