Chibiyu: And this is what happens when I start writing chapters out of order. I can't stop doing it!
Nick: *snickers* That's what she said.
Chibiyu: …ok, please picture the real Nick saying that XD
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Joe could only stare, watching the scene flash red with his brother's blood, and scream a terrible, endless scream. He tried to move forward, but his feet didn't obey. He watched dark hands that used to look like his younger brother latch onto Kevin. He watched a dismembered smile flash. He watched his brother get pulled from the spikes and into the darkness.
The darkness from which he would never return.
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Each breath was more painful than the last. His heart pounded, the beat sending a wave of plain, then of relief when it stopped, then again of pain. His left side was twisting tightly around itself, making it impossible for him to do anything but lay here and pant in misery. The cold air on his bare feet did little to soothe the sting. Everything felt heavy, like Joe had lifted and accidently dropped a brick onto his chest, his stomach and his legs. He felt coarse bandages scratching and winding their way around his torso, left leg, and his feet. But the reason for this was lost to him. And yet he still fought, his eyes fluttering until he won the battle. He blinked quickly, trying to clear the blur.
All he could make out was that he was in a simple camp bed, in a small dark room without a window and what seemed to be a very heavy metal door.
"K-Kevin?"The small voice had Kevin slowly turning his head, wanting to sit up to see if this was real, but knowing the consequences would be bad. "You're awake!" The figure pushed himself off of the wall and launched to the oldest Lucas, hugging him gently.
"Nick?" Kevin called, voice sounding like a croak.
"Yeah, Kev, it's me." The younger sibling's voice nearly cracked with happiness as he gave a watery chuckle. "Thank God you're alright."
Kevin watched Nick pull back, carefully perching himself on the edge of the bed while running a hand over his face. Kevin knew the real motive to his brother's actions, though; he didn't want his tears to be seen.
"What happened?" Kevin managed to ask, his dry throat screaming in protest.
Nick just shook his head, now nervously playing with his crazy curls. "I don't know. I was sitting here when they brought you in. They dumped you on the bed and started sewing you up. Wouldn't answer any of my questions either." Nick hugged Kevin again, tighter than the last time, and Kevin managed to lift his right arm and hug his shaking brother back. "I thought I would lose you."
His words, though muffled by Kevin's shirt, were still caught by the elder. "I'm not that easy to get rid of," Kevin tried to chuckle, but it sent him into a coughing fit. Nick pulled away, patting his back and able to do very little.
"Stop talking until we can get some water in here." Kevin just nodded to this statement, falling back on the pillows. He took a moment and reached out mentally, Nick jumping in surprise when he felt Kevin's probe. "What?" Kevin just smiled, glad, for once, to feel the prickling fear emanating off his brother, to sense his deep concern and to worry over the hidden exhaustion. Nick shook his head after a moment, moving on.
"Anyway, I have no idea where we are," he revealed, the lack of information creating an edge to his voice, "But I know that all the Villains we know and some we don't are here. Here with the Four."
Kevin nodded, not wanting to startle Nick with how much this news really affected him. He didn't need Nick to know about the way his heart had stilled at his words, or how his hands started shaking. Nicholas didn't need to know – he was already scared enough as it is.
"The Bane?" Kevin had to ask after it became known that Nick wasn't going to talk further. The older just smiled at the glare sent his way.
The glare quickly morphed into a cocky smirk that Nick rarely gave. "They had me take it, but as soon as I figured out that they wanted me to use it so they could corrupt me and control me, I threw it to the ground. They've been trying to get me to pick it up ever since." He laughed, it sounding out of place in this room. "At first, I thought about using it to stop all of this, but I realized that the Bane isn't supposed to be used for violence. Power corrupts, even if the power is meant for good," Nick paused in his rant when Kevin placed a hand on his arm, a look of pride in his eyes. "I did what I could, but it wasn't enough."
Kevin rolled his eyes, speaking slowly. "You're slowing them down by not cooperating."
"Yeah," Nick agreed, but he turned his head away from Kevin, lifting a hand and wiping his eyes. "But they don't need me as much as they think they do."
"Hey, if I were them," Kevin started, ignoring the burn his throat in hopes that this would get his brother to let go some of the burden, "I would want the one who outsmarted all of the Villains on my side as well."
Nick chuckled softly, turning his head and smiling at Kevin. "Shut up," he ordered, punching Kevin on his right shoulder. But even through the order, Nick's smile stayed. "I'm glad you're okay."
"I'm glad you're okay," Kevin repeated, sending his brother a worried smile. "Joe and I, we messed up."
He would have continued if Nick didn't hold up his hand. "It's ok. I'm not mad and I don't blame you. The Council is always swarming with Heroes. The odds of anything sneaking up on you like that were less than miniscule. No one saw it coming, not even me."
Kevin was about to say something more when Nick looked over to the door, shushing him.
"Don't freak out," Nick begged, standing from the bed, fear riddling his frame. "I'll come back."
Kevin nodded, hearing the footsteps get louder. Both started when the door slammed open. Nick cast Kevin a forlorn glance before he willingly walked out of the room. And Kevin knew why his brother didn't fight; he could sense the hostility rushing from the unnamed Villains. If Nick fought, there was bound to be some hits through and Nick hadn't wanted Kevin to get tangled up in it. All Kevin could do was smile sadly at Nick's actions, hating that his little brother had to be the one doing the protection.
So Kevin vowed that he would make it up to Nick. He would make this right.
His hands grabbed at the shadows, pounding on the walls, breaking and cracking the bricks, but there was nothing he could do. His brother was gone. He'd come back to this damned spot every single day for the past two, pounding, screaming, trying and failing. Ray had taken so much time searching, Macy had spent her nights crying and trying to find him. Stella was by his side, attempting to pull him away from the blank wall in the empty false Lair.
"No!" Joe yelled at her when she tried to coax him away. Joe knew it was pointless, but he couldn't just give up. He couldn't just lose him too.
"He's gone, Joe," Stella whispered, pulling her friend towards her. Joe allowed himself to collapse against her, being consumed by rib jarring sobs. "You still have Frankie…"
"I could have both of them if we hadn't been so stupid!" Joe yelled, slamming his fists against the floor, effectively cracking the tiles and his skin. "Tell me their okay, Stella," he nearly begged, needing the lie, needing to feel alright again.
Stella tried to say it, she really did, but the words couldn't come. Her own heart was shattered – they had been her brothers too.
"I'm s-sorry, Joe," she forced out, clinging to him all the tighter.
"Joe? Stella?" Both jumped as Frankie's voice cracked to life in their earpiece. "We need you guys over by the house. Neuropath is here."
The two sighed and stood, leaning heavily on each other. They both walked away, knowing it was pointless to keep fighting, but else could they do? The Normals were gone, Nick was gone, Kevin was gone, the Bane was gone; hope for the Heroes was was nothing more they could do. Nothing but fight until they were gone too.
Kevin consulted his watch for the fifth time, unable to believe so much time had passed. The silence was maddening, ringing constantly in his ears and letting nothing else exist. Through this time, he had forced his eyes to remain open, needing to see his brother enter the room alive. The pain had subsided little, making it ok for the elder to prop himself on the pillows. The effort had left him out of breath, but at least the pressure was off his ribs now.
Now he was left to struggle with the question if he should tell Nick what he experienced in the false lair. What happened two days ago, according to the date on his watch. He could already see Nick's face, turning away from him when Kevin would get to the part about the caged Normals. He could see the tense frame his brother would adapt when he would tell him about the fake Nick talking to them. He could already hear the suppressed tears of fear when he told of making the mistake and stepping over the spikes.
Did he really want to put Nick through that? He needed to know in order to be ready, in case Necrophere decided to put him through it, but at the same time the Normal had looked beaten, like he couldn't take another blow. And Kevin didn't want to be the one to land it, to break him.
His mind was still conflicted when the door opened with a loud creak, a hand pushing a stumbling Nick in. Kevin watched as Nick slid down, sitting in the same corner he had been when he first spoke to Kevin, fingers pinching the bridge of his nose. The older Lucas waited until the door's lock was set before speaking.
"You okay?" His voice sounded so out of place in the used to be quiet.
Nick just nodded, once, turning to face Kevin and sending him a tired smile. The Hero recoiled, glaring at the door, fingers cracking as he fisted them. His attention was diverted when Nick moved, moving his hand and touching the scabbing gash across his right cheek. He grimaced, but said nothing of it. Kevin watched, not knowing what to say when Nick shifted, his hand pressing against his left side painfully.
"They don't like that I don't cooperate," Nick explained, voice lacking energy. "But I'm not going to be used. I won't be like them."
Times like this made Kevin want to pull his brother over and shield him from the world. Times like this made him so proud to be his brother, and so proud that even though he was a Normal, Nick was so strong. Stronger than him, that was for sure.
"Hey," the older called, getting Nick to crack open one of his eyes and regard him. "I love you, bro. And I I'm proud of you. Know that, okay?"
Nick smiled small, nodding, eye falling closed. "Yeah, same goes to you, Kev. I may not act like it, but I do love you and Joe. And I'm proud to be your brother."
Kevin wished that Nick could see his smile, but the younger had already drifted off, not bothering to give himself time to think about whatever he just went through.
"I'll get you out of here, Nick," Kevin whispered as Nick shifted uncomfortably against the wall. "I promise."
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Chibiyu: So yeah, I didn't kill Kevin and Nick is alive and not evil like I psyched out Joe and Kevin within last chapter. Until Next Update!
Written on: 1/22/12 -1/23/12ss