Building Better Worlds - Chapter 6

This fic is rated Mature.

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**6. Things We Lost To The Flames**

The dorks had stayed within Ralph's house. Or... What was left of it. There wasn't much left to salvage.

Xerxes stumbled upon a framed photo, cracked glass and sooty, but he could just about make out what looked to him like a bunch of friends, smiling and having a good time. Perhaps with Midnight's artistic skills she could fix it. So the sergal held on to it.

"Found anything worth keeping?" Ladybug asked around.

"I found this mostly in tact photo." Xerxes shrugged.

Ladybug gave him a thumbs up.

Ratchet had found something else that had survived the fire, and still stood up. He ran his gloved fingers over it, removing the ash and dust. He then blew all the ash away with one big puff of air, revealing a keyboard. It's possible it still works.

The Lombax tapped on a key, but a severed wire sparked on the damp ground. He unplugged it, and thought that perhaps he could fix it. Ratchet picked the heavy device up. It was around twice the size of him, but he'd carried weapons which were way heavier than a simple keyboard.

Ladybug had her eyes on Dan's room. "Whatcha looking at, LB?" Chat came behind her and asked.

"Dan's room. It didn't burn. There might be some valuables in there. I just can't figure out the best way to get to it..." Ladybug trailed off in thought.

Hiro had gone to speak with the firemen about the cause of the fire. "Any idea what caused it then?"

"Well, we've ruled out kitchen appliances, none of them were on." One of the explained.

"We just now need to look for another clue as to what happened." Another shrugged.

Hiro thought for a moment. "Perhaps, possibly, it might have been on purpose..."

Xerxes overheard this and came closer.

"You mean, arson?" The fireman who had yet to speak asked.

Hiro nodded thoughtfully, and Xerxes' face lit up in realisation. "Dan's ex..." He muttered.

The four men looked at the hybrid questioningly. "What do you mean?" Hiro asked.

Xerxes locked his pale blue eyes with Hiro's brown ones. "Dan. One of the guys who lives here. He's just ended an abusive relationship... I don't know the details, Night knows more than me. But... It seems to add up if you ask me." His tail swished.

The firemen didn't need to hear anymore, and set off looking for something that could have been used to set the house alight.

"Xerxes if you're right then... That's awful..." Hiro said.

"If I'm right this place was set on fire with intent to kill the occupants. Perhaps not so much Ralph, but definitely Dan..." Xerxes scowled at the floor after he finished speaking.

"Dan came out of it the worst." Ratchet piped up from behind them, still holding on to the keyboard. "In some way, if this is true, she succeeded."

"Midnight is not going to be happy..." Xerxes shook his head.

"Yeah, I know..."

"We need to file this information with Gold Star. Tell her everything." Hiro suddenly said.

"Yeah. I agree." Ratchet said.

"One problem, we don't know everything. But Midnight does." Xerxes' mouth twisted in to a smirk slightly.

"That railing looks like it will support me long enough to launch myself up there. What do you think, Chat?" Ladybug asked.

"I think so. Just be careful. Two civilian injuries are enough."

Ladybug nodded at him, throwing her yo-yo up in to the air. It secured itself around the railing, and she pulled down on it slightly, making sure it was strong enough to take her weight.

She took a few steps back, and pulled harder on the cord, jumping up at the same time.

She flipped over the railing, and rolled in to the room.

The smoke which had blinded Midnight before was now gone. Ladybug looked around the place, finding a pair of glasses that looked important, and a phone with a Gameboy case on it. *Hm. A Nerd. Well he'd fit right in with this lot.* She thought to herself as she continued to look over the room for things that maybe of importance. She found his wallet, something he will need after coming out of hospital. The rest of the stuff in there was too much for her to take on her own, and until Midnight got back, Ladybug was the only one who could safely get in and out of this room.

"Find anything?!" Chat shouted up to her.

"Just some personal things! A pair of glasses, a phone... Things he'll need when he's better." She called back.

"The others are done here, we're going to head back to HQ to explain what we know to Gold Star. You should probably come with." Chat called back.

"I'm on my way down!" Ladybug said as she tugged on the cord of her yo-yo again.

She launched out of the room, backflipping on to the damp, burned floor.

She and Chat joined the rest of the group, and Xerxes spoke in to the comm-link. "Gold Star, we need to discuss this evening's mission."

\* \* \*

Midnight had made it to the hospital just as her power stopped supporting her flight. *Urgh. I can't get back home without the Lombax's help now...* She cursed herself.

*Right. Just in to see that they're OK, and then straight back out. That's it. No getting overly attached, no emotions. Just quick in, and then out.* She thought. ***You know that's unrealistic. You care too much.*** Her brain said back.

She shook her head to dispell the thoughts, turning her attention to scanning the hospital to see if she could find them quicker instead of having to awkwardly ask for directions.

Urgh, asking for help from a stranger.... Not on tonight's to do list. Not after what just happened.

She located them, her computerised contact lense plotting a course for the best way to get there.

*Right. Not this door, the other door.... Idiot.*

She made her way there, and entered the building.

And she slightly regretted it.

It had this overly clean and chemical smell about it. Well, all hospitals do, but Midnight absolutely hated this smell with a passion.

She also hated hospitals with a passion.

And why? Because bad childhood memories, that's why.

Anyway, don't go down that rabbit hole, there is a task at hand here.

Make sure Dan and Ralph are OK.

She set off on her journey to find them, following the map on her contact lense.

Right.

Left.

Another right.

Up a flight of stairs...

Left.

Left again...

Legs ache, slow down.

Right.

And, there! That one. That ward.

It didn't look like it was open though.

Dammit.

She could sneak in?

Bavarium is a convince, after all.

But there will be nurses looking after patients and things.

OK, not a good idea.

But you can't come this far and not reach the end!

*Just knock and tell the truth!* Her brain shouted at her.

***What truth? Visiting hours are over, I don't think they want me here!** ... Perhaps, so... Bend the truth slightly. Say you're investigating the arson.... **We don't know for sure if that happened.** .... Possible arson then! Come on Night, you're smart! You can do this!*

Deep breath.

*You can do this.*

Firmly, she knocked on the door.

There was a shuffle of feet on the other side.

And slowly, it opened.

She was greeted with one of the nurses who had a sweet smile on her face.

"Hi there, how can I help you?" She spoke in a high pitched and perky voice.

"Uhm, hi. I'm uh... Looking for a... Uhm... Dan Smith?" Midnight stumbled over her words, feeling a right fool of herself. She could feel the embarrassment on her face, but the nurse just smiled at her.

"Hold on a moment please."

She quickly disappeared, then reappeared. "Yup he's in here, only been here for around 20 minutes. Are you his next of kin?" The nurse smiled sweetly.

Midnight knew she looked a flustered mess. "Ah uhm... Well no but I... I was on the scene and I just wanted to make sure that he and his friend, Ralph, are OK...?" She ended her sentence with a higher note in her voice, as though asking a question.

The nurse hesitated for a moment. "Uhm..." She looked Midnight up and down.

A long pause that was rather unnecessary as the nurse thinks follows.

Midnight just gives an awkward toothy grin. *Eheh! This is awkward...*

Finally, "Yeah OK, you can check on them, but you have 10 minutes, then you have to go. They need to rest." She smiled.

Midnight breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you." She sounded breathless.

The nurse then led the way down the hallway, Midnight still pretty uncomfortable.

She eventually stopped at a door and knocked on it.

Another moments wait, and a tired and weak sounding "Yes?" Came from the room.

Midnight recognised it instantly as Ralph.

*So they put them in the same room...*

"Hi Ralph, can I come in? I've got a visitor for you two boys." The nurse asked kindly.

"Mhm... Sure..."

She opened the door and let Midnight in.

Ralph looked at her and smiled. Midnight smiled back too, but was still feeling awkward about the encounter with the nurse.

"You have 10 minutes. She can come back tomorrow if she wants." The nurse said. Ralph thanked her, and she left.

"Hey so uh... Thanks back there..." He rasped out.

"No problem. Just part of my job. How are you doing?" She got straight to the point.

"Well, better than our pal Dan over there. He hasn't woken up since he passed out yet. But he's breathing better so, good sign." Ralph explained.

"Right. How long you going to be here?" She asks.

"I dunno. After 24 hours for me maybe? Dan too if he wakes up in the morning."

"Right."

Pause.

"Uhm... Your house..." Midnight trailed off.

"Yeah. I know... It's OK..."

Midnight started to play with her nails. "Maybe I could speak to Gold Star about you staying in HQ with Dan for a bit. Just until something else comes up?" Midnight asked.

"... You'd do that for us?"

"I'd already offered it to Dan... Before the fire." Midnight shrugged.

"... Yeah OK! That'd be nice."

Another pause. Tick tick tock goes the clock. The heart rate monitors beep rythmically.

"So... Any idea how the fire started?" Ralph asked.

"I have a theory. But no evidence to back it up yet." She responded.

Her eyes landed on Dan. She folded her arms as she puffed out some air. "He's been through so much already. Why this too?" She asked rhetorically.

"Worst things always happen to the best people." Ralph started. "You don't think it was his ex that set that fire, do you?"

"It'd make sense, wouldn't it?" She looked back at Ralph. Ralph looked at Dan.

"Perhaps. It's not completely out of the question, is it?"

"I didn't think it would come to this. I'm going to have to put her in her place myself." Midnight stood a little taller, following Ralph's gaze.

Ralph nodded. "I've been wanting to for months. But I couldn't while they were still together... Would have landed Dan in hospital if I did that...."

Midnight simply nodded. "Yeah. But she can't hurt him anymore. And she can't hurt me either. So she better watch herself. Bavarium is a powerful thing." Midnight smirked slightly.

Then she sighed, looking towards the ground.

"I should go. It's probably been longer than ten minutes." She shuffled her feet a little.

"Yeah. OK. See you tomorrow?" Ralph asked.

"Tomorrow." She confirmed.

And like that she turned and left the room.

Left the ward.

Left the hospital.

Eventually making it home, without the help of Ratchet.

That's twice now she's saved Dan.

Twice now it's been a choice between life and death, and Midnight chose life for him.

Next thing on to do list: Speak to Gold Star.

After that.

Declare a war.

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