Getting Better
An epilogue for Desperate Measures
by Laura Boeff
"Hey, girl."
Ace knelt down as Zina head butted his leg, purring loudly as
he departed the vehicle bay. The large panther leaned into his scratching
fingers, gold eyes half lidded as she rumbled her greeting.
Ace smiled. Taking, as always, immense pleasure in the simple
act of petting the black cat. Zina had been at his side for a long time
now. But, despite her age, she still had all the enthusiasm for life of
a kitten. And Ace had the bruises to prove it when she got carried away
playing with the magician.
"I know daddy's late coming home," he chuckled. His evening with
Mona had been just what the doctor ordered. Or, more to the fact, just
what Cosmo had ordered. Ace stood up, Zina falling in at his side with
a happy flick of her tail as he started up to the Express' personnel quarters.
Ace had no doubt Cosmo had invited Ulene over the moment he was
out the door. Not that he could blame the young man. He knew Cosmo was
going up the wall with the forced inactivity his injury was causing. He
could only hope his young friend had not gone to overboard and aggravated
his wounds. But then, knowing how fussy Ulene was being, it was doubtful
the young man had even made it to first base with his girlfriend this night.
Ulene could be as stubborn as Ace when it came to Cosmo's welfare.
Turning down the hall, Ace headed toward Cosmo's room. He just
wanted to peek in and make sure his partner was okay. It was becoming a
habit he knew, but one Cosmo was tolerating at the moment. Not just for
Ace's sake but for his own. Between the bandages, the weak state of his
body and the medication, Cosmo was a pretty sad wreck. Mobility was a task
enough, let alone the simple act of dressing or showering.
Ace chuckled. And Cosmo hated that! Not that Ace minded helping out.
It simply seemed to be an inborn trait in Ace to help those in need. It
just wasn't a trait in Cosmo to seek help when needed.
Quietly, Ace slipped into the dark room and peeked around the
corner to Cosmo's bed. Humm.. empty. Ace frowned slightly, feeling a pang
of worry. Had there been a problem? Ulene wasn't about. Her car hadn't
been outside.
"Angel, where is Cosmo?"
"He is in the library, Ace."
Still frowning, Ace headed to the library/living room...
And found Cosmo asleep on the couch.
Ace felt a twinge of relief. Despite all the young man's assurances,
he had been rather nervous of leaving Cosmo alone for the evening. Not
that his partner couldn't honestly care for himself, and had Angel watching
over him as well. it was just....
Ace sighed pausing at the couch. It was just Ace had come too
close to losing his most precious partner. He smiled unconsciously at the
sight. Cosmo was stretched out the couch that had been pretty much his
home since his release from the hospital. He was snoring softly, mouth
slightly open; laying on his good side, head pillowed on one arm while
the other dangled off the couch, fingers limp.
Distantly, Ace noted someone had tidied up the table beside the
couch. Ulene he had no doubt. The effort it took for Cosmo to get up was
enough to deter him from any act of neatness. Knelling down Ace just looked
at his friend. It seemed only yesterday when Cosmo had been no more than
a very young teen, cautiously carving a place for himself in Ace's home.
In Ace's life.
Ace himself would have never imagined how much Cosmo would succeed.
How much the young man had become a part of his world, giving him the family
he had never had before. Ace never regretting his actions in reaching out
to help a frightened and troubled boy, even when things seemed ready to
go disastrously wrong.
Cosmo let out a small snort. Sniffled and turned slightly in
his sleep. Ace chuckled. Cosmo was an angel in sleep. Completely at peace,
his boyish face appearing much younger then he was. He looked so young
in sleep. God, Ace marveled, if he didn't know Cosmo's real birthday he
wouldn't have placed the boy a day over sixteen at the moment. Well, maybe
a day, he chuckled. Cosmo's face might be deceptively young, but his body
was far from, having developed the firm, muscular lines of a young man
approaching his prime. He had filled out at last. Cosmo wouldn't probably
gain much more in height, but he had finally lost some of the lanky build
that had made him somewhat self-conscious in the early years of his life.
So damn close!
Ace fought the shiver that wanted to come. So damn close to losing
his young friend. When the doctor had made the off hand comment that they
nearly lost Cosmo on the operating table, his heart had all but stopped.
It shouldn't have surprised him. Really. He had been there. He had seen
the damage Marvin had done. But just hearing it, hearing how close it had
come...
Anger briefly flared and Ace didn't deny it. Yes, he could be
angry at what Marvin did. He was not proud with how he had reacted. No.
Not at all. Was honestly sad for the fact but he could be angry still.
But anger never lasted long in him. He let the emotions slide aside. He
had had a nice evening. He was home and Cosmo was safe. That was all that
mattered in the end. The city was a little safer and so was his family.
Ace smiled.
Family.
Zina rumbled and came up to Cosmo, sniffing playfully at his
face. Ace chuckled as the teen swatted sleepily at the whiskers tickling
over his cheek.
"You're being mean," Ace reprimanded the panther quietly. He
could almost see the smile in the cats face as Zina looked up at him. Ace
laughed silently as Cosmo shifted sluggishly, wincing in his sleep as his
injured side flared. Ace felt a pang of darkness at the small flinch. There
was no way to hide the bandage that encased Cosmo's torso. It bulged beneath
his snug shirt and was a prominent reminder of just how much longer Cosmo
would need to recover. The bandaged arm was also conspicuous, but would
soon be gone. Cosmo being schedule to have the stitches removed there next
week. The wound in his side would take longer. The lung whole again but
the muscles around the injury still mending.
For a moment the magician marveled at the simple, shocking fact
at how fast so much could go wrong. If it hadn't been for Cosmo aggravating
the magic force Ace would have never known his partner was in trouble in
the first place.
Cosmo touching the magic force. Cosmo being his apprentice. It
seemed so right in a way. While Ace had regretted seeing Cosmo burdened
with the powers of magic, it never struck him as wrong for the young man
to have them. As if he always knew one day the teen would be a magician
such as himself. Not surprising. Ace was now convinced it had been the
magic that drew them together. Both reacting unconsciously to the powers
inside themselves and latching onto each other. A lonely magician and a
troubled boy. Both finding what they needed. Friendship... family.
Hesitantly, Ace reached out. He hated to wake Cosmo, he really
did. The young man needed his rest, but the couch was not the ideal place
for it. Bad enough Cosmo spent his days here, it would do him no good to
spend his nights as well.
"Cosmo," Ace called, hand resting on one shoulder and squeezing.
"Cosmo."
There was a snort and a tensing of muscles as sleep lost it's
hold on his apprentice. Blinking blearily Cosmo looked around in a moments
confusion before his eyes settled on Ace.
"Oh... hey," he murmured thickly, eyes uncertain whether to stay
open of not. "You're home."
"Such a master of the obvious," Ace teased him, offering a helping
hand and easing Cosmo up into a sitting position. Stiffly, Cosmo went,
groaning softly as muscles protested.
"Oh man..." he lamented. "What time is it?"
"Late. Come on, let's get you to bed," Ace suggested.
"Why couldn't I hear that line from Ulene?" Cosmo muttered, latching
onto Ace's arm.
Ace quirked an amused eyebrow. "Because, contrary to what you
think, she does have your best interest in mind," he pointed out.
Cosmo grinned weakly.
"Where's the fun in that?"
Ace just laughed. "Don't worry, partner. I'm sure you'll have
your fun soon enough. Did you take your medication?"
"Yea."
"Painkiller?"
Another nod. Ace had suspected that. They had a tendency of knocking
Cosmo out cold. The painkiller he had being pretty hefty to fight the agony
his healing side could induce.
"How was your evening?" Cosmo asked, swiping at his sleep filled
face.
"Good. Mona and I had a nice dinner and even went dancing," Ace
informed him. Cosmo smiled and nodded.
"Cool... Glad."
"Thank you for kicking me out," Ace told him kindly. Cosmo just
shrugged slightly.
"Hey, what are best friends for if not to kick you out of the
house once in a while?"
Cosmo smiled at Ace's chuckle. It wasn't just for Ace's welfare
Cosmo had booted him. His hovering and mother-henning had been wearing
thin on the teen's nerves as well. As much as Ace hated to admit it, they
both needed an evening away from each other. Ace needed to forget for a
while just what had happened and Cosmo needed a breather from his emotional
fretting.
They had both gotten what they needed and it had worked wonders.
They reached the teen's room and Cosmo sat carefully on his bed, yawning
again.
"Man, think I could sleep for a week."
"And miss your daily visits with Ulene?" Ace poked with mock
innocence. That got him a raised red brow.
"You're lucky I'm feeling generous right now," the young man
retorted, not quite hiding his blush. Ace grinned and helped him get out
of his shirt.
"I'm shaking, Cosmo, really," he returned, completely dead-pan.
Cosmo broke out in laughter, then hissed in pain.
"Man, don't do that!" the reproach accompanied his giggles.
"Sorry," Ace said sincerely, feeling a stab of guilt he tried
to let slid. Cosmo had had enough of his dark emotions. And in a way, so
had he.
"So much for laughter being the best medicine," Cosmo grumbled
good-naturedly as he finished undressing- Ace helping when needed. The
teen was all but asleep by the time Ace pulled the blankets up. He would
have liked to check Cosmo's bandages, but right now his partner was far
more interested in a get together with his pillow. Not that Ace could blame
him. He was hearing the call of his own bed.
Zina rumbled and looked into the bed, trying to find some space.
"Go away ya blanket hog," Cosmo muttered, eyes starting to droop
shut. Zina let out an indignant snort and Ace laughed at the cats retort.
She glared up at him, then let out another little rumble before contenting
herself with the foot of Cosmo's bed.
"Your own little nursemaid," Ace chuckled.
Cosmo grumbled under his breath. "Yea. Of the shedding variety,"
he added, then smiled. "Thanks for the helping hand, Ace."
"No problem. Need anything?"
A slight shake of the head. "Nope. All set. Night, bro."
"Night, Cosmo. And goodnight, Zina," Ace added when the cat gave
him a displeased ear flick. Cosmo chuckled softly as Ace shut off the light
and let the door close behind him.
He paused in the hall, musing at the train around him. Cosmo
was healing and, in a way, so was he. The world was not a perfect place--
not by a longshot. And things would go wrong from time even in his the
corner of his universe. But, right now, while not being perfect, things
were getting better.
Ace smiled, heading toward his own room, sleep beckoning him
as well. And this time, Ace sensed, sleep without the specter of dark dreams.
Yes. Things were getting better.