Aftermath: Family Reunion
Tagging: Nadia Lee, Steven Bell, and Eva Bell. Mentions of Mastermind, Polaris, Jacen Verdier, Alma Verdier, and Logan Howlett Timeframe: Evening, September 7, 2016 Location: Manhattan General Hospital General Notes: Nadia visits Eva in the hospital and answers some of Stevenâs questions. Nadia has an important question for Steven about an important question she has for Eva. TWs for hospital setting and discussions of violence.
The repetitive beeps, whines and whirs from Evaâs medical equipment were oddly hypnotic and Steven didnât realise he was drifting off to sleep as his eyes fluttered closed and his head rolled forward. After a few moments his head started to loll to the side and he woke up with a start, glancing around in a slight panic due to being disorientated. He recognised the room, the surroundings and the situation all too clearly and glanced at the screens and monitors that were the only sign of life for his younger sister. He had no idea what any of the graphs or digits meant, he only knew that they hadnât changed. Out of the corner of his eye he spotted movement by the door and rose to greet the new guests, rubbing his sleepy eyes as he did so.
Nadia slipped quietly in the room. âIâm sorry; I hope I didnât wake you,â she said to Steven. Sheâd barely seen him---barely had time even to see Eva---and she was already feeling awkward about it. âI was going to bring you some food, but I fell asleep with it in the oven. Um, has anything changed?â Nadia walked over to the hospital bed and lowered the railing so she could sit next to her comatose girlfriend, who she still wanted to call her wife. She gently ran her fingers along Evaâs arm, aching to lay next to her and hold her, but Steven deserved her attention.
âNot at all, mate,â Steven replied with a smile, genuinely pleased to see her, âwas just resting my eyes is all.â His expression turned forlorn and he shook his head somberly. âNo change at all,â his voice was barely a whisper. He managed a very small chuckle and smiled appreciatively. âYou getting sleep is far more important than food for me, âsides I think Iâm finally getting a taste for the gunk they serve upstairs.â Wanting to give the two girls a moment alone he shifted himself to the corner of the room and busied himself with checking his phone. He had of course informed his and Evaâs mother of the situation but he, unlike Eva, had long given up on any form of concern being shown by the woman for her only daughter so he was unsurprised to find still no response on his phone. He had so many questions and knew Dee would be able to answer most if not all of them so he perched himself gently beside her. âDee⊠What happened?â
âI donât need much sleep,â Nadia insisted. âMy healing handles the physical effects for a while; itâs just advantageous for mental functions. You shouldnât have to be getting used to that âgunkâ!â Although her ability to read body language deteriorated with lack of sleep, she recognized that Steven was giving her a moment. She took the opportunity to kiss Evaâs forehead, and run her fingers through Evaâs wavy hair while she whispered apologies for her absence and promised that when she woke up theyâd spend time doing something fun to make up for it a little. She struggled to think of examples because of the fatigue, but then the thought of her tiredness made her remember something. âI had a nice dream once,â she murmured. âWe went to Central Park with Alma...it was autumn, and we went on the carousel twice. I havenât been on a carousel yet, and I donât think I realized I wanted to go on one until I dreamed about it. I wonder if youâve been on one. You need to wake up soon so you can tell me, Eva. We took Almaâs picture next to the Beethoven statue and went on a horse-drawn carriage ride together, and then we had a picnic. Do you think we should do that? Wake up and tell me what we should bring on the picnic, Evee. Iâll make hot apple cider for sure, but what do you want to eat on our picnic?â She quieted when Steven sat next to her, and she turned her attention to him. How was she supposed to answer that question? âShe was attacked. By a telepath who calls himself Mastermind. He was trying to force her to use her powers to send him back in time so he could change history. She fought back, even as he was trying to break her mind so he could have control of it.â Nadia lifted Evaâs hand so she could hold it. âMy courageous, strong Eva,â she added, giving her hand a squeeze. âA latent aspect of her mutation activated. Maybe Mastermind caused it, maybe it activated as a defense against him; itâs hard to say. It...instead of moving objects or people, she moved minds. Since we ended up in the future instead of the past like Mastermind wanted, I assume it was Evaâs subconscious that took us there rather than Mastermindâs strongarming. Ten years into the future.â
âEveryone needs sleep, mate,â Steven countered feeling a lot like he was back in his home country with a little sister insisting she could stay up later than she actually could. But this situation was far more serious than that one had been. âEven if itâs just for a little, it helps keep everything ticking as it should.â Attempting to lighten the mood just a little he added, âI hear the gunk here is actually better than some places in Harlem, so Iâm not complaining.â Having nothing to focus on with regard to his phone, he couldnât help overhearing the whispers and promises and the story of the dream. He felt an icy grip taking hold of his heart and a lump rising in his throat. Blinking rapidly didnât quite stop a single tear escaping and rolling down his cheek but he wiped it away quickly. He was struck by the realisation that he didnât know if Eva had ever been on a carousel either and agreed with the sentiment that Eva should wake up soon and tell them.  âAttacked!?â He couldnât stop the outburst when he heard his baby sister had been actively sought out and attacked. âI hope this Mastermind ainât still breathing,â he seethed but then got his temper back under control and listened to Dee, hanging on every word. He shook his head forlornly and looked around Dee for a moment to look at Eva - at least she looked peaceful. âIt all makes sense now,â he said in barely more than a whisper. âThe docs say her injuries are like sheâs been hit really hard on the head but there no external evidence of it, because she was literally hit inside her head. Sheâs always been brave, and strong in ways people donât tend to see. Sheâs a tough cookie, always has been. She fought through that attack bravely and sheâll be fighting through this too, sheâll get through, I know it.â  He didnât pretend to understand mutations or the fact they could evolve and change or latent aspects could activate. He just accepted it as fact, heâd seen and heard enough evidence to never have to doubt it. âThe future? But you were still here, partly anyway. I saw you once and it was like you were a zombie, you didnât even recognise me. You were hardly functioning, just going through the motions.â He took a moment to process what he had heard and then asked a different question. âTen years⊠How different was it?â
âI know,â Nadia acknowledged. It didnât convince her to go take a nap, but the concern was appreciated. âAs far as I know, he is. I donât know if the attack was orchestrated by the Brotherhood or if he was acting alone.â She hoped he was. She wanted to believe someone they considered a friend wouldnât knowingly allow this to happen. âIf anyone with green hair comes to visit, let me know right away.â Nadia nodded in agreement and gave Evaâs hand another squeeze. âYouâre right. Sheâs stronger than she knows. I should get a hold of Jacen, have him take a look. Heâs very good at psychic surgery, but I think Eva would hate knowing he was in her head. She punched him the last time he was in mine.â The memory made her laugh. âMy brave fighter. You better wake up before I have to call him, Eva.â Nadia rubbed her neck and sighed. âYes, physically, everyone who was moved to the future remained here. Most were unconscious, it seems. Maybe me being awake---sort of---had to do with my healing, or because of how often my mindâs been meddled with; maybe I got a teeny bit of immunity. But I donât remember any of what my body was doing while my conscious mind was gone. Iâm sorry for what that must have put you through, Steven.â Nadia smiled fondly at Eva and let her gaze drift to her bare ring finger. âIt was very different. I donât know how much is safe to talk about, because Eva says knowing too much about the potential future is dangerous.â She half expected to hear Eva make a joke about Darth Vader, but there was only the steady beeping of machines. âWe were still together, Eva and I. Steven, youâre always nice to me, but itâs hard for me to discern if people genuinely like me. Do you think Iâm enough for her? To marry her?â
âI might just have to change that,â Steven growled, though he had no idea how he would ever manage to get near a telepath nevermind win a fight with one. The threat made him feel that he was at least trying to make things right. âGreen hair? Ok⊠Is this person someone to be worried about?â His eyebrow rose with the question, if the green haired person had anything to do with Evaâs current state they would find it very hard to get anywhere near her. Steven couldnât help a soft chuckle as well, the laughter felt good but was still tinged with sadness. âI heard about that incident, Iâve met the chap once but it was very briefly so I donât really have an opinion and what I have heard is⊠shall we say biased?â He nodded towards Evaâs motionless form, he knew very well she wasnât a fan of Jacen at all. He laughed again softly. âThatâs a new one, I havenât tried threatening her but itâs definitely worth a shot.â His gaze was fixed on his sisterâs face - did her eyelid just twitch slightly, or did he imagine it?  A few more seconds staring and he put it down to his imagination.  He listened once more to Deeâs explanation, which again made perfect sense and he waved off her apology with a smile. âNo dramas, I was just worried but⊠but I couldnât leave here to make sure you were ok. I know you would never have left her on the floor had you been your normal self, itâs how I knew for sure there was something really wrong.â The loving look Dee cast over Eva made him smile. He had seen that look before, many times and often going both ways, Eva never hid her adoration for Dee and he loved that about them. After a nod and another soft chuckle he spoke again. âYes, I have received that particular lecture, enthusiastically delivered with many a Star Wars comparison dropped in for reference.â His features turned sad and he stared for a moment at Evaâs face. âIâd love to hear it again though.â In truth he would simply love to hear his sisterâs voice, he didnât really care what it was saying or what language it was using as long as she was awake and speaking.  Deeâs question surprised him, but joining the dots between the ten year jump into the future and the fact they were still together he worked out the pair were married. âYou are a very likable person, I think it would be hard for someone not to like you. You are absolutely enough for her. The way you are together, what you do for each other during both good and bad times. Everything youâve been through and yet here you are holding each other up. To be honest, it actually doesnât matter what I think, only you know how you feel.â He smiled warmly, his biggest smile since this whole awful situation had begun. âBut if this is some roundabout way of asking me for permission because she doesnât have a father, then you definitely have my blessing. I know sheâll say yes and I donât need adventures in the future to see that. But I also know sheâll probably ask you what took you so long.â
Nadia assumed Steven was smart enough to only be making idle threats, so she let it slide without comment. âNo, she doesnât have any reason to hurt Eva, and I donât think theyâd send her if they did. Weâre not close, but we were classmates briefly, and even if she doesnât consider me a friend, weâve always had an understanding, I think. I just donât want her around Eva until I know if she knew Mastermindâs intentions. If she did, then we have a problem. If not...we still have a problem, but Iâm not going to start a fight with one of the few people who can easily incapacitate me.â She realized only after the rambling that her explanation was probably more worrying than reassuring. âWhat you heard may have been biased, but it was probably true. Heâs done some very bad things, and some very good things, too, but it doesnât necessarily make him more likable.â Nadiaâs brows shot up in shock. âWait, I---I left her on the floor? I, I know it was hardly me, but---oh, Iâm so sorry, Eva...â Her distress began to ease as Steven reacted positively to her question. She didnât think she deserved such praise, but sheâd rather receive praise than scorn. âI do know how I feel. I love her completely, and I always want to be with her. I just worry that⊠I know it will be complicated. She will age normally, and I will only look the slightest bit older a decade from now. Every year the disparity will increase, not just how we look but how we are treated. Eventually there will be awkward questions and pressure to pretend weâre something other than what we are. She will experience stages of life that I will not be able to relate to and go through with her the way a wife should. I know I will always love her, and she will always love me, at least in a way. But I donât want her to feel pressured to stay with me as her life goes on. I donât want to hold her back.â Nadia sniffled. It simply wasnât fair. âBut I know, I know that she was so happy when she realized we were married in the future. She knew right away that she took my last name and didnât hyphenate it with hers, so I know sheâs thought about it in our time. I know itâs what she wants, and I know that when I saw how happy it made her, I knew I wanted to take that risk.â She kept glancing down at Evaâs hand in hers and imagining it with an engagement ring. âI think I need to talk to Logan, though. Heâs the only person I know who may have gone through this dilemma, and I need to be sure---but you have eased my mind.â Nadia couldnât stifle her yawn. Forming coherent sentences took so much energy that she didnât have to spare. âI couldnât bear to put a wedge between you two. Thank you.â
Steven looked down at his hands which were balled into fists and took a deep calming breath. Jumping in fists first had always been his way but as he'd got older he had learn to back away from fights where he was outmatched. Plus, he had no proof that Mastermind was responsible for Evaâs current state. What Nadia said about the potentially visiting green haired girl didnât ease his feelings of uneasiness but he trusted her judgement and would go along with whatever Nadia suggested. As hard as it was for him to admit, she knew what was best for Eva far better than he did now. âA chap from the police offered to increase security on the room if we thought it was needed. Dâya think thatâs something we should do in case this girl comes knocking?â His hand found itâs way to her shoulder and he squeezed it reassuringly. âHey, itâs not your fault. It wasnât you and sheâll know that. Youâd never have left her if things had been normal, but it was as far from normal as ya could get.â His features split into a knowing smile and he nodded at each of her points, understanding where the worries were coming from. âAnything thatâs worth doing is normally hard or complicated, mate. Thatâs what makes it worth it.â His gaze fell back on sisterâs face, she looked like she was peacefully sleeping and he suddenly wondered if she could hear or understand what was being said around her. âYâknow, itâs been, what, six years since she left and she doesnât really look that much different. Maybe sheâll keep her youthful looks for longer than you think and youâll have more time to prepare for those awkward questions. But youâre absolutely right, she has thought about it. She mentioned it to me once and she said the same thing you just did, is it fair to tie you to someone who canât share your whole life. But it is what she wants. She loves you so much and ⊠well, sheâs always saying how she canât live without ya.â He nodded again. âTalking to someone who knows how it feels is probably a good idea,â he chuckled softly as a memory stirred, âisnât Logan the one Eva was terrified of?â He noticed the attempt at stifling a yawn and stood to move around her, lifting tubes and wires up and out of the way and tucking some down the side of the bed to keep them secure but still freeing up space. âNot much chance of that,â he said lightly as he continued to work, âI just do what she tells me. Sheâs definitely the boss.â Satisfied with the space he had cleared he gave Nadia a gentle nudge. âLay down, have a cuddle, and a nap if you like. Sheâll appreciate it.â He raised a hand to stop the objection he was sure was coming. âMy sister, my rules. Come on, just for a bit. Try and relax.â
âI donât think thatâs necessary,â Nadia said after a moment of consideration. Lorna wasnât stupid; she wouldnât want to cause a scene, and she trusted that Lorna knew if she hurt Eva in any way, Nadia would find a way to make her suffer. âYouâre right, but it just...it hurts to think of her unconscious on the floor, after being attacked. In the future, when we woke up in the future, I got to hold her and comfort her, and we saw our rings and we were going to figure it out together.â Thatâs where Evaâs consciousness was; that was what mattered, but the image in her mind was still horrifying. She took in the knowledge that Eva had talked to Steven about their relationship and future. Eva and Stephen were close, sure, but Eva also tended to be a private person, so it must have been weighing on her mind quite a lot. âIf itâs what she wants, then itâs what I want.â âNearly everyone was terrified of Logan, even me to an extent. But our similarities...they were disturbing at first, because I hated myself, so I didnât want there to be anyone like me in any way. But they started to be comforting. He was a mutant with healing and offensive powers, often aggressive and abrasive, but he was a teacher, and had friendsâa wife, evenâand despite the fact that a lot of students feared him, he was the one who opened the door that night Jacen picked me up from a truck stop and sent me there with nothing but a made up name and date of birth.â Nadia smiled at Steven. âThank you for being here for herâfor us. I know chosen family is as valid as biological, but Iâm really glad she has you, and that youâre both.â She didnât bother to object; she needed to rest, and she wanted to hold Eva. She would worry about finances and housing, but they could be on the backburner for a little while. Nadia carefully positioned herself so she wouldnât pull on any wires, and gently moved Eva just a little. Her girlfriendâsoon to be fiancĂ©, she hopedâalways felt safest when she was the little spoon. She moved Evaâs hair a bit so that if Eva could feel her there, she would feel Nadiaâs face against her neck and the kiss she placed upon her cheek. She laid her arm over Eva and let her hand rest on her stomach, a habit that Eva had practically demanded in the future. It didnât take long for her to start to doze off, and as she did, she faintly heard the beeping that indicated a rise in Evaâs pulse rate. Certainly, it could have just been an autonomic response, but she liked the thought that maybe Eva knew she was there, patiently waiting for her return.