Cold. Cassie felt ice in her bones and snow on her skin, but when she looked at her hands, they were the same pale color they had always been. Not a spot of ice on them. She wrapped her arms around herself, but she only shivered harder. Bishop Publishing was never this cold, even in the middle of winter. She should find Kate and let her know the air conditioning was malfunctioning. Strangely, no one seemed to be around. The main room was abandoned, the couch where Eli normally sat unoccupied. Jonas wasn't waiting for her by the door like he normally did.
Cassie drifted around the main room. "Billy? Teddy? Jonas?" She called out, waiting for her friends to crawl out of their hiding spots, for the joke to end. No one emerged from the dusty furniture. Cassie gave a weak laugh. "Very funny guys. Now come out." A flash of green and a rush of wind made Cassie turn around. She was too slow to catch the person with her eyes, but she heard the door across from her slam shut. It was Tommy. It had to be. Cassie didn't expect a full hug, but running by her without a word of greeting was awfully rude, even by Tommy's standards.
Cassie followed her teammate into the room, slipping through the door while it swung back and forth wildly. "Tommy?" The speedster didn't respond. He braced himself against a wall, leaning heavily against the structure. His chest rose up and do rapidly, but the barely audible whimpers and gasps told her it wasn't from running. "Tommy, are you okay?" Cassie reached out for him, but he slid away from her grasp, sinking to the floor. "Stop ignoring me!" Cassie shouted at him. In response, he grabbed his orange sunglasses from on top of his white hair and hurled them through the air. They hit the wall across the room with a snapping sound, cracks crawling up the lenses. Above them, the lights shattered as small explosions ruptured from inside them. Cassie covered her head as the glass and plastic rained down, pleasantly surprised when none of the shards hit her.
Tommy wiped his eyes, his face turning red. "Talk to me, Tommy. Let me help you!" Cassie said desperation creeping into her voice. It wasn't like Tommy to break down in front of someone.
Before Tommy could answer, the door opened behind them. Finally, Cassie thought, someone heard me. Kate walked in, her head down. Her purple glasses hid her red rimmed eyes, but tears still streamed down her cheeks. Small water droplets colored her scarf.
"Kate! What's up?" Cassie waved, giving Kate a cheerful smile. Kate walked past her without a second glance. Or a first one, for that matter. "Hey! I'm talking to-"
"You know, you don't have to continue this." Kate said, as if Cassie had never spoken, settling down next to Tommy. She sounded like she knew that whatever she was trying to convince Tommy of was a lost cause.
"Yes, I do." Tommy snapped. "Like I said, the minute we stop fighting the bad guys win."
"I don't want to see another one of my friends die fighting a battle they couldn't win!" Kate shouted. Another one? Cassie narrowed her eyes. No one had died. She had seen them all a few seconds ago on the battlefield before she returned to Bishop Publishing. Tommy dropped his gaze from Kate's eyes, unable to face the truth.
"I owe this to the world, Kate. I caused hundreds of families serious pain. I have to repay that."
"Well, if I can't change your mind, can I ask a favor?" Tommy nodded. "If you ever meet Hawkeye, the real Hawkeye, on the mission field, will you give him these?" Kate handed Tommy her bow and a handful of arrows. Tommy stared at them, shaking his head in disbelief.
"Kate-"
"Please! Just do it. As long as their near me, I'll be tempted." Kate curled his fingers around the weapons. Tommy sighed and set them down at his feet.
"Kate, why would you give up your bow? You are Hawkeye." Cassie tilted her head, crouching down next to the bow. "They're in prime condition, too." She prodded her finger against the tip of an arrow, preparing herself for the sharp poke. Her finger passed through the tip, the poke never coming. The arrow went through her, or more accurately, she went through the arrow. Her hand hovered in the middle of the shaft, unharmed. Cassie stumbled backward, shock filling her body.
Oh no. Oh God no. This couldn't be happening. No. She couldn't be dead, she was alive just seconds ago. Her breath hitched and a sob erupted from her throat.
"It isn't fair." Tommy shouted, inches away from the ghost of his friend. "She was just a kid. She just wanted to be a hero, and now...if I had only been a little bit faster…"
"Don't do that to yourself." Kate begged. "We couldn't have done anything to help her. She made her choice, but at least...at least she got to see her dad one last time."
"I'm right here!" Cassie screamed, begging silently for them to hear her, to see her, to know she was okay. "I'm still alive! I'm right in front of you. I'm still...I'm dead...I'm dead." Cassie felt her heart drop to the ground. She was really, truly dead, wasn't she? Cassandra Lang, the Young Avenger had fallen in battle, and she hadn't even known.