After the Storm

November 24, 2019, Big Hospital, following the events of S3E134: When the Last Star Dies

The hours following the fight were hectic. Sirens, harried medical personnel, and various others on cleanup all added to the mayhem. Big Team dispersed, baddies were arrested, and the adrenaline of the moment faded into the not-quite-real feeling of the aftermath.

In that time, Verve had snuck away and retrieved her backpack from the elevator shaft. After changing out of her hero outfit and being bullied into letting a nurse look over her injuries, she found her way back to Jasper. He was in a new room, since the old one was near the site of a mysterious explosion. Now, Atlanta sits by his bed as he sleeps. It had been a rough day for him. She watches the slow drip of saline into his IV, trying not to think of everything that just happened.

*Tap tap*. Near-imperceptible notes of metal against metal come from the other side of the door to Jasper’s hospital room. Atlanta watches the shiny steel handle turn as the door slowly creaks open, guided by a hand covered in a black-wrapped caestus. Wavy brown hair and a toothy half-mask follow as Melody, still in costume as The Jackal, pokes her head through the door.

Melody looks to the sleeping Jasper first, her weary eyes softening before turning to Atlanta. “*Hey*,” Melody whispers. “*He doing okay*?"

Atlanta nods, looking back at her brother. "A few bruises, and he's pretty shaken up and exhausted, but mostly it's the food poisoning he came in with."

“*Oof, been there. He’ll be okay though…seems like a real tough kid. Umm, are you, like, okay*?” Melody winces as soon as the words leave her mouth. “*Shit, sorry, no, of course you’re not okay. Umm…*” she jerks a thumb towards the adjacent hall, and pulls down her mask. “*Can we, like, talk a little*?”

"Dad's busy, and Jasper's deaf. You don't need to worry about waking him up if you want to talk here. Or," Atlanta grimaces, "if there's something bad you need to tell me, can you just get it over with?" She looks away from Melody, unwilling to meet the other girl's eyes if she's there to deliver more bad news.

“Oh.” Melody looks pensively at the ground, summoning the strength to speak again. “Your dad…” she hesitates. “He asked me to move a spare gurney like twenty minutes ago. I think the leg got caught on something, and I just kept pushing. So, like, if your dad asks about a broken gurney, that was Bloodshot.”

Her eyes wander back to Atlanta, a small smile crossing Melody’s lips before quickly falling into a frown. “Hey…” she continues awkwardly. “This is like, none of my business, or whatever. But…they didn’t know?”

As much as she doubted a broken gurney would come up in their conversation when they got home, Atlanta nods at the request. "No," her voice cracks on the word, but she presses on. "Only Ellen and Mr. Crossover. And Ellen wasn't exactly on purpose. Dad doesn't…like powers." There's a pause, and she finally looks up at Melody. "You can come in and sit if you want." She gestures at the other empty chair by Jasper's bed.

Melody nods, silently closing the door behind her before sitting down. “I…I’m sorry. I mean, I know a lot of people in Halcyon don’t like powers or whatever. But like…most people don’t choose whether they have them, y’know?” Her frown deepens as she leans against the thin arm of her uncomfortable hospital chair. “It just seems really crappy to like…hold that against someone. I guess I’m in the same boat you were, though. My parents don’t know I have powers or do the superhero thing yet. But they’re pretty chill…when they’re here.”

Atlanta nods as she listens, but remains silent.

“Sorry,” Melody sighs, “I shouldn’t complain about my stuff. Yours is a lot worse.” She sits up in her chair again, her frown momentarily disappearing. “Umm, even if it was on accident, I’m glad Ellen found out. She’s like, a ride or die kinda friend.” Melody’s eyes go unfocused, lost in thought before returning to Atlanta. “We actually like, live together right now, if you didn’t know. My parents are doctors too, but they’re overseas for most of the year. So like…if you ever wanna come chill somewhere…you’re always welcome to come hang out, sleepover, whatever.” Melody grins at Atlanta, trying to lighten the mood. “Also, Ellen makes some sick pancakes.”

Despite everything, she can't help but smile at the idea of Ellen making pancakes. "Yeah. She's a good friend. And I stayed over once, before she knew. I absorbed some magic bats and was glowing for a while, so. You were off doing something, though." She shrugs. "I'm sorry your family situation isn't great. I...usually wouldn't mind listening. Even if you think my stuff is worse. Just, not today." Her eyes settle back on Jasper, on a bruise forming on his cheek. "Thank you, by the way. For getting him out of there. I don't...I couldn't...if he…" She trails off as she chokes up. There's a moment of hesitation before she reaches for the box of tissues on his nightstand. Crying in front of Melody isn't something she wants to do, but not something she can help at the moment.

“Hey...” Melody’s eyes shimmer with water. She never knew what to say in situations like this; never knew whether there was a combination of words that could ease someone’s pain, as much as she wished there was.

Melody takes a few deep breaths to regain her composure before turning to the crying girl seated next to her and smiling. “It’s okay! You would have got him if I didn’t. You were like, really awesome back there. I--”

Blinking out a few tears, Melody goes quiet and exhales. She shakes her head before wrapping her arms around Atlanta. An awkward silence takes the room, periodically broken by the soft beep of the IV pump near Jasper.

“Sorry for all the bad shit that happened to you and Jasper today,” Melody eventually sniffles.

Atlanta leans into the hug. All of the emotions from the day spill out. Everything felt both numb and too much at once. "I don't want to lose him. And if- if dad kicks me out, he'll lose me and I don't want to do that to him," she sobs.

Melody squeezes tighter, her body occasionally wracked by her own sobs. She hates feeling so powerless, but knows that nothing she says to Atlanta will help.

After a few minutes, she gets the crying under control. "Sorry. And thank you," she says weakly, wiping her eyes and blowing her nose. "It's funny, I feel more tired from crying than when the elevator fell on me."

“Hey, anytime.” Melody faintly smiles before shaking her head in disbelief. “Of course an elevator *also* fell on you tonight. Why not.” She shifts her eyes to the box of tissues near Jasper, then looks apologetically at Atlanta. “Hook me up?”

Atlanta holds out the box for Melody.

“Bluhhhh,” Melody groans after blowing her nose. “Crying makes me so sleepy. So... are you gonna like… stay here tonight? Or…” She gives Atlanta a concerned look. “Are you good like… going home? Is that safe and stuff?”

Atlanta shrugs and pulls one knee up so she can rest her chin on it. "I mean, when I asked if I could, Dad just said I 'might as well.' I don't...I don't know what that means. But I need to go. Even if he kicks me out, it'll be over with. All this waiting is just…the worst." Her voice cracks, and she scratches at a stain on her shoe.

“Yeah…” Melody leans back in her chair and stares at the ceiling. “I mean…‘might as well’ sounds better than ‘no’, right? And like…I dunno.” She lowers her eyes to Atlanta and Jasper. “He probably had a shitty day too or whatever, but like…he’s your dad. I’m sure he loves you and your brother a lot. And he’s not like, going to do something that hurts both of you so much.”

Atlanta shrugs. "I don't want to think he'd do it...but I don't know he won't…it’s why I’ve kept it a secret. Well, part of it."

*He better not*, Melody thinks to herself as her grip tightens around the arm of her chair. There’s a muffled splintering noise as finger-sized depressions form in the wooden arm.

Atlanta jumps at the sound of splintering wood, still tense even when she realizes it came from Melody. "Are you okay? I don't know...were you friends with them?"

“Hmm? What’s wrong?” Melody follows Atlanta’s eyes to her own hand, still wrapped around the crushed wooden chair arm. “Oh, shit. Crap.” She holds her hands up to Atlanta in apology. “I’m good, sorry. Not on purpose.”

“It’s okay, I get losing control sometimes.” Atlanta relaxes a little at the apology, but her gaze is still questioning.

“And if you mean Bloodshot and Kieran Khan…? No, we’re not friends,” Melody says flatly. “Haven’t met Kieran before, but I did run into Bloodshot once. They messed me up really bad, and dislocated my shoulder. But that’s whatever,” she fumes. “They also really hurt Aman-- uh, my best friend. Really wanted to pay them back for that tonight, but…” Her eyes settle on Jasper, and she smiles weakly. “More important stuff came up. Thanks for kicking their ass anyway, though. I know it doesn’t help to say this, but you really were incredible.”

Atlanta frowns, confused. "Thanks, and I know who Aman is, but…" Her eyes widen in realization. "Oh. You weren't up there…you didn't see...Bloodshot is Casper. Redshift. They're possessed or something, but…"

Whatever color is left in Melody’s face drains out as Atlanta speaks. “I…I need to go talk to Rescue then,” she says hoarsely while looking towards the door. “He ran into a spirit or…soul or…something of Casper when we were in Bella’s mind. And he like, blamed himself for not saving Casper then, even though he couldn’t have. He probably feels like shit.” She pauses, finally realizing what Atlanta already knew. “But…if Casper’s still here, even if Bloodshot is possessing them or whatever...then we can still save them, right? Maybe that’s good news then? Despite all the crap that happened tonight.”

Atlanta shrugs. “I don’t know how any of this works, but I hope so. I really hope so. They don’t deserve to live like that. They...were gone before I joined the team, but I can’t imagine anyone who knew them is going to be okay right now.”

Melody starts to get out of her chair, then turns to face Atlanta. “Are you like…gonna be okay in here? Do you want me to stay or anything? ...or did I bother you enough tonight?” She grins at the girl next to her.

Atlanta smiles back, but it’s tired and mostly insincere. “Go ahead. Talk to Rescue. I’ll be…” she trails off, unable to lie. “I appreciate you coming to check on us. It means a lot to me. And your offers if talking to my dad...doesn’t go well. I might try to bully Ellen into making me pancakes anyway.” Her tone isn’t really into it, but the fact that she tried to make the joke is something at least.

Melody sincerely smiles at the effort. “No problem. And hey, we can both bully her when you’re feeling up to it. Oh, um...” She crosses the room to a small notepad and pen, scratching something onto a page before tearing it out and returning to Atlanta. “Here’s my phone number and address. I…right, you probably didn’t need the address. But if something comes up, just head over, don’t worry about calling. Unless you wanna talk, or whatever.”

“I really hope stuff with your dad goes okay though”. Melody hugs Atlanta one more time, then holds out the paper to her. “Text me so I have your number too? Also, like…even if stuff goes well, you should totally come over sometime. It’d be really fun to chill with you and Ellen.”

“Thanks, Melody.” Atlanta takes the paper and tucks it into her pocket. “And I’d like that...maybe after the holiday though.” She musters up a smile.

“Sounds good. I’ll see ya next week then? For pancake time.” Melody gives a broad smile to Atlanta before turning to the door. She gives an awkward wave before silently closing the door behind her.

As Melody leaves, the smile drops. Atlanta  pulls up her knees and rests her chin on them as she goes back to watching Jasper sleep with nothing but the noise outside and the steady drip of the IV for company.