Night Time Secrets

**Early Morning of October 20th; at the Big Base**

Gwen is seen thrashing about her bed and crying out. She wakes in a panic and glances over at the clock, 2:34. She climbs out of bed and out into the hallway. Much to her surprise she is met with a pair of glowing eyes.

“Oh, you’re up as well,” Zip says.

“Yeah, I couldn’t sleep”

“Yeah, yeah me too.”

“Well I’m headed to the kitchen to get some water,” Gwen says as she starts walking down the hallway.

“You mind if I join you? I wanted a glass as well.”

They walk in silence for a bit before Zip says, “I hope I’m not being intrusive, but are you alright? I heard you shouting.”

“I, um, I have night terrors.” Gwen begrudgingly offers up.

“I’m sorry about that. I have nightmares too.”

“If you don’t mind me asking… about what?”

“About…” Zip starts hesitantly, “how I’ve transformed and I’m in no way the same person I used to be, physically or otherwise. I worry I’m not as good as her.”

“Oh.” Gwen is silent for a moment. “That concerns me too, in a sense. Though my process of change was… different.”

“I’ve heard. I can’t imagine… it must be rough even now.”

“It is. For what it’s worth though, I think… when it comes to how you look or your personality, I think you’re good.”

As the two approach the kitchen they see a faint glow ahead and hear “James has the ball he passes it…”

Zip turns to Gwen,”I wonder who it is? It’s awfully late.”

In the living room area, the only light is coming from the TV screen. As the two girls sneak closer, Zip recognizes the boy sitting on the couch. “Hey,Tommy?”

A slightly beaten and bruised face turns into view. “Oh, uh, hey… what are you guys doing up?” The boy’s voice is shaky.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

Gwen looked at Tommy. “Do you need some ice?”

“I’m fine.”

“I’m gonna get you some ice.”

Zip turns on the lights and sits down on a chair, criss cross applesauce style, next to the coffee table. Tommy absentmindedly stares at the TV. They remain that way until Gwen returns with two glasses of water and a bag filled with a gallon’s worth of ice cubes that she hands over to Tommy.

“I’m Gwen, by the way.”

“I’m Tommy. Thanks.”
Gwen sits down at the other end of the couch and makes a point of not looking at Tommy, back on her guard after her vulnerable moment earlier with Zip. They half-follow the basketball game playing out on the TV, Boston Celtics versus Toronto Raptors.

Zip breaks the silence with a hesitant, “Tommy, I don’t mean to be rude, but are you alright? I’ve seen you in fights before and you’ve never gotten this hurt.”

“Yeah, it has just been a rough couple of nights. Things just haven’t been going my way. I fucked up with Aria.” He hesitates thinking about how to phrase it. “Some stuff from my past came up on a date when an Ex showed up. I am not a good person.”

“Yeah well, your past isn’t as important as what you do in the present. And I’m sure Aria doesn’t think so.” Zip takes out her phone and shoots Aria a text.

Gwen cusses at the TV as one of the Celtics players makes a mistake. She and Tommy talk and bond over basketball. Gwen lets slip that she likes being at school more than the team base these days because she’s been having issues with Super Crisp.

“Why are you having problems with Super Crisp?” Tommy asks.

“I… it’s complicated,” Gwen sighs. “I haven’t seen my father in a long time, and I found out he’s in prison. I wanted to see him, but Super Crisp wouldn’t tell me where he was and told me it was a bad idea to go see him. I… I tried to punch him for that actually, but my cousin got in the way and I punched her instead. I feel bad about that, but what’s worse is that--in a way--Super Crisp was right. It was a bad idea because I found out that my father was actually… in basically, *actually* Hell.”

“Hell? Hell hell?”

“Basically.”

“Damn.”

“Yeah. And… now I don’t know if I can trust him, because I can’t know for sure--can’t ask him myself--whether he knew, whether he was responsible for my father being put there. Whatever authorities are responsible for doing that, I can’t trust them to do the right thing, and I won’t forgive them. My father deserves to be in prison, but not *that* one.”

“Yeah, no one deserves that. Who actually puts people in hell? I understand what you mean. I have that same problem with... Sorry, I don’t think I can talk about it, hurts too much.”

“If… if you’re okay with it, I can see into your past,” Gwen explains. “That is my power. I can experience the past of people and objects.”

“That’s neat!” Zip comments.

“I’d be up for it,” Zip offers her hand. Gwen scoots closer and takes her hand in hers. Lavender turns away, putting his focus on the game. Gwen activates her powers and we see flashes of Zip’s past. A little girl chasing a smaller girl around a backyard, Zip in a courthouse with a giant crab over her, a teen talking to a camera about makeup, a llightningstrike hitting a girl and her crying out in pain, a girl wearing a private school uniform taking notes, Zip in a bed curled in a ball. The flashes come faster, then Gwen pulls away. Gwen gives Zip a knowing look. And offers up a hug, Zip graciously accepts. A tear makes it way down Gwen’s face.

Gwen pulls back and turns to Tommy, “You up for it?”

Tommy turns to face her, “Yeah, go for it.”

Gwen takes Tommy’s hand and his face goes red.
Gwen sees glimpses of Tommy’s past. A young boy creating small teleportation circles; an older woman in Portuguese instructing him in his form as he dances to a melodic drum beat; a younger Lavender in a makeshift outfit getting in a fight with a man in a Canadian flag outfit with a large container of maple syrup on his back; the older woman smiling and waving goodbye to Lavender a she got onto train; a man approaching Lavender with a letter and Lavender nodding eagerly after reading; various flashes of a girl of indigenous heritage fighting beside, kissing Tommy, and finally berating. The images become confusing at this point flashings of anger and physical violence from the girl towards Lavender. “You’re out of the team.” A robotic voice says.
“But not out.” A final series of image plays Lavender and an androgynous person in flow-y Buddhist-like monk robes and an eye wrapping in a circle of light surrounded by utter blackness. The person whispers and a sword appears in their hand seemingly from nowhere and a feeling of worry cascades from Lavender. A melodic drum beat is heard in the back of Lav’s mind and he raises his fists.

Gwen lets go of his hand and describes the girl from Tommy’s past, “Is she?”

“Yeah, she was my ex. She has been fucking with my life for a long time now.” Lavender grimaces.

“She’s horrible! Did you work together with her, before?”

“Yeah, we used to be part of a super team back in Canada. I got voted out over the issue of whether we would kill or not. Still worked for the organization that administered that team for a while though. That fell through too eventually”

Zip pipes up, “For what it’s worth I’m glad. I’m glad you’re with us and part of our team.”

Tommy sighs, “Thanks.”

“I’m a fuck up too,” Gwen offers up. “I caused billions of dollars of damage. Super Crisp was not happy. I destroyed a helicarrier.”

Zip face lights up, “Oh, that was you?”

Gwen gives a guilty and confused look.

“The transformed in the park are using the wreckage. So while it may not be conventional, you ultimately helped tons of people.”

“They’re living inside it?”

“No. No, they’re using the pieces to make a sort of makeshift city. It’s very inventive. I visited last week.”

“I would like to go and help out,” Gwen says.

“Yeah, hopefully, we’re on better terms now,” Zip trails off.

“So, in other news, Tommy, you have a car, right?” Gwen asks slowly, remembering what she’d seen of Tommy’s memories.

“Yeah.”

“So you can drive and have a license… and you’re Canadian…”

“Yeah?”

“If… if you’re up for it, would you like to go on a road trip to Canada together?”

“Oohh, that sounds like fun!” Zip chimes in.

“Yeah, that does sound fun,” Tommy agrees. “What do you want to do?”

Gwen’s face lights up with a grin. “Well, it’s going to be my birthday in a few weeks, and I heard the drinking age in parts of Canada is only 18.”

“Oh.” Tommy considers. “For a moment I thought this was because marijuana just became legal.”

“Oh! Pfft, no! But let’s not rule anything out.”

“I have a shitty car though,” Tommy admits.

“Hmmm…”

The three are silent for a few moments.

“Doesn’t Super Crisp have a car?”