Caduceo's sister
It was close to midnight when Horace walked over the street. Everyone was asleep, nobody woken up by the events that happened in Darby, a village located south west of Philadelphia. And if there happened to be a witness of the crime, their memory of this would be erased. Cubing was only a punishment given to those who came into the secret superhero hospital without knowing of its existence.
He could never remember the name of the street where his sister lived, but he did remember the exact place where she lived. When he arrived at the house, the front door was opened and the lights were on. Except for him, nobody was around. Yet, he was certain that within a certain time period, this place would be filled with cops, journalists and all others who would be attracted by a drama like this, but none of them would be Normos.
He entered the house, knocking on the door to let Nelson know he was here. He immediately saw the destruction left behind by the villain who broke in here. on the outside, nobody could even imagine the house was completely wrecked on the inside. It looked as if a tornado went through the house, and worse. Only walking through their hall, staircase to the first floor on his right, made Horace feel uncomfortable. If this already was bad, then would he be prepared for what he would see in other parts of the house.
"Nelson?" Horace didn't shout. He didn't need to – he was very certain his brother-in-law would hear him like this.
"Living room." Horace didn't like the way Nelson said it. He sounded distant, sad… he sounded like he had been broken. Horace knew Nelson must feel that way as well.
When Horace entered the living room and saw his sister, something in him broke. He didn't notice the damage and destruction of the villain, who had visited the house, didn't even care about getting injured by the debris, which was scattered everywhere.
There she lay. Horace kneeled down next to Helen and grabbed her hand. He felt no pulse. Off course there wouldn't be one. A single tear rolled down his cheek and fell on her bloody head. He needed to see her like this. He needed to be certain she couldn't be saved anymore. He needed to make sure Helen was no longer breathing before he started mourning.
Horace stood back up. He noticed that Nelson had already closed her eyes, as there was some blood on his hands. He was still dressed up as Optimo, and his suit was covered in his wife's blood. His eyes were red, telling Horace he had cried. How long did it take Nelson to calm down and inform Horace of this tragedy? How long had he sat down on the ground, hugging the body of his beloved wife, crying and mourning her death?
"She's gone, Nelson." Horace bit his lip. He may be a doctor, but he was talking about his older sister. He couldn't be emotionless when it came to family, especially Helen. "There's nothing I can do for her."
"Yes, you can." Nelson then said, looking at Horace. He still looked extremely saddened, and a bit accusing. "Helen told me you're Caduceo."
Horace sighed. So the conversation would go in that direction. Even before Nelson could tell Horace what he really wanted, the doctor shook his head. He couldn't do it. He promised her he wouldn't.
"No, Nelson, I can't." Nelson did not like that answer at all. He grabbed Horace's shoulders.
"Why not? You're freaking Caduceo! If there's anyone who can save her, it's you!" He shouted, releasing his brother-in-law. He shouldn't have done that, and he knew it. Loss and sadness drove people mad, as well as the only man who can save her refusing to save her. "Horace, please… she means the world to me." It was barely louder than a whisper. He wasn't demanding as a leader, he was asking as family. He just wanted his wife back. Horace bowed his head.
"Me too, Nelson. And that's why I can't bring her back."
"I don't get it." Nelson said, shaking his head. He didn't understand how Horace could be so calm; he didn't understand why he didn't save her life right away. Horace sighed – if he ever wanted Nelson to understand, it was time for a small portion of their backstory, because if Horace told all, they'd be standing here for another week or month.
"You've probably heard about the stories from our childhood. In the 16th century (or was it the 17th?) Helen did some things in public. In that period, they were hunting for witches. I told her she'd have to stop doing that, or she could get herself killed. Then, she told me that she didn't want to continue living like this.
You know, we only had each other, and we were just kids when we were blessed by Asclepius himself. She could never get attached to a man and I couldn't get attached to a woman, just because we knew we'd be leaving the town or village after a year. She hated it to leave the ones she loved, and would rather die now than to live another 2500 years. I eventually convinced her to stay around for some more centuries. She did.
Since the hospital was founded, I only saw her during family reunions with our cousin Boris. The week before she married you, I talked to her. You are the first one she wants to stay with for the rest of her life. You were the man of her life. She told me of her plans to die alongside you. She figured she was finally done with living when you were gone." He looked at Nelson. Hopefully, he would now let her go. Hopefully, he would now let her rest in peace, even if she was brutally murdered. Yet, Horace saw the despair in his brother-in-law's eyes, and knew Nelson would try again to convince him to do it.
"Then bring her back. If she wanted to live with me until I'm dead, you should give her that chance."
"That day, I also promised her I wouldn't try to bring her back. She told me I could better use these powers on important heroes and others, and not to waste one on her." Horace remembered that Helen added that if she ever was revived by his younger brother, she'd kill him, but that was just a tiny detail and he didn't want Nelson to worry about it.
Nelson nodded. At last, he found peace with his wife and Horace's decision. They both stared at her body, hoping she didn't die for nothing. Horace grabbed a blanket randomly lying on the couch and used it to cover Helen with. He couldn't bear to see her like that any longer. Horace may be a doctor, but he wasn't emotionless.
Horace saw a piece of paper lying on the ground. Nelson must've completely missed it and had immediately given all his attention to Helen, who was beyond saving when he had come home. Horace picked it up as soon as Nelson said one word.
"Alan…" Off course! Alan! How could they have forgotten about him? Helen had been too distracting, and now Nelson rushed to Alan's bedroom, hoping to find him alive. Horace followed his brother in law to the bedroom, climbing the stairs to the first floor, which had not been damaged at all. Whoever had killed Helen, he (or she) had forgotten to check the first floor.
Horace entered Alan's bedroom, and found everything was in perfect state. Nelson held the one-year-old in his arms, looking at him. Alan was asleep for now. He didn't know what had become of his mother yet, and he probably wouldn't know until he had matured.
"He's alive," Horace sounded surprised, "How is that possible?"
"Sound-proof walls," Nelson said, still staring at his son, "to prevent anything from happening to him."
"They did their job," Horace replied, looking at the note in his hand. He sighed. "Nelson, you might want to take a look at this." Horace gave Nelson the piece of paper he found on the ground, and Nelson handed Alan over to Horace. The hero read the only line a couple of times, mostly because the one who wrote it didn't have a neat handwriting. Eventually, they figured out what the note said.
I will have my revenge on your entire family!
Razor Claw
Razor Claw… they could've guessed it was him who visited the house and killed Helen. It was known that even when married, Optimo still fought crime. Razor Claw somehow got their address and visited the house when Nelson was busy fighting crime, only to leave a nasty surprise for him.
I will have my revenge on your entire family… that included Nelson's family, and so his kids as well. Razor Claw would come back and take away everyone Nelson loves, to break the hero and eventually to get rid of at least one goody two-shoes.
"Nelson…" Horace started, carefully choosing his words. "Maybe it's better if…"
"I know," Nelson interrupted his brother-in-law. "He isn't safe with me. He never was. And neither was Helen. As long as Razor Claw is out there, he'll never be safe." He knew that wherever Alan would go to, Razor Claw would always be looking for possible kids to finish them off, just to break Optimo.
"I am willing to raise him," Horace said. "He can live in the hospital. It's one of the most secure places in the world, and you know it. He can grow up there, safe from Razor Claw's attacks." Nelson nodded.
"Thanks, Horace." It stayed long silent between the two before Nelson continued. "If you take him with you, it may be a smart move to change his last name. Razor Claw will be looking for children with my last name."
"I will," Horace agreed with Nelson. The villain would be looking for the children of Nelson Oakley. But they knew he would never go looking in the hospital, and he'd never find Nelson's only son when that son would be called Alan Diaz.
A car stopped in front of the house. Nelson looked out of the window and confirmed what Horace was thinking: journalists were here to get their story. How they always were so quick in finding their stories, he could never guess. But Nelson did not want the press to see how Horace Diaz was walking out of the front door with a baby, just in case Razor Claw would be watching the news. He showed his brother-in-law the escape route he installed a couple of years ago, so he would leave the house unnoticed.
"You know, Nelson," Horace said before leaving, "I know a guy who is the leader of the Super-Secret Heroes in Hiding. Maybe he can help you with hiding yourself from Razor Claw. If you want to find him, just go to a Laundromat and ask for Dr. Wood. Tell him I sent you. I'm sure they'll help you right away."
Nelson nodded. "Thanks, Horace. Thanks you for everything you've done for me. But you gotta leave right now before the press sees you."
"You're welcome," Horace replied, and he walked through the escape route, holding Alan in his hands, leading the young boy to a new, safer future in the hospital.
Hey guys! I've been dying to do something like this for a while, but never found the time nor the inspiration. But after watching the Mighty Med episode "New kids are the docs" and the scene when Horace saw Alan lying on the ground, got me thinking and then, this happened. I really hope you like it, and I believe this is how it should have gone like in the show's canon. But yeah, I'm just a fan and I can only hope it went like this. Anyway, see you next time!
-Writer207