March 30, 1986

Claire opened up a magazine in the waiting room. It felt like days had passed since she had last been in Vi's room with her mother. As of yet she didn't know how she was, and anyway she figured the two of them could use some alone time. She sighed. Once again she asked herself if this night would ever end, and if so, when?

She turned her mind back to the magazine. As she flipped through the pages all of the articles seemed irritatingly familiar. Turning it around she looked at the cover. As soon as she saw the title she realized that she had read this magazine once already…no…make that three times. Alright, now she was losing it.

Snorting in disgust with herself she put it down and reached for another one. This time she was careful to read the title first. Times: A Look At the Kennedy Legacy. Read it. Fashion: Is the Fro For You? Read it. Parenting: Top Communication Tips. Read it. The hospital waiting room seemed to have absolutely no idea of good reading material, and Claire had been there a very long time.

Looking around she noticed that most people had brought books. That was something to file away for future reference. Then again, she'd never actually planned on coming to the hospital tonight, or was it today? It must be the thirtieth already, it must be. Otherwise she really would go mad.

Getting up she walked to the large full length window that overlooked the City where the sun was starting to rise. The hospital was in a nice part of town, the part that was essentially shielded from all the shit she had dealt with in Dayton. It had been a large task; both she and Vi had admitted that before starting. They had known that they would have to pay a price in time and effort. However, neither of them had realized that it might cost one of them their life as well.

Tiredly she let her forehead rest against the cool glass. It was only then that she realized just how hot her forehead was. Maybe she was coming down with a fever. Kraken had said she didn't look so good before he'd gone off and tried to hold the cops at bay for a little longer. Claire flinched at the memory. She just wished he'd lose the goddamned piranha look. When all of this was over she'd smack it off his face for him.

When this was over. When would it be over? Would she even like the outcome? Even if Vi did somehow survive, how would that feel, to know that she had almost gotten her friend killed for the rest of her life? Sure, Mrs. Hart had told her it wasn't her fault. In fact, she had seemed almost resigned in a way. She also knew that if Vi survived, again if was the terrible word that it all hinged on, she would forgive her too. Vi was just that person.

Yet, it would be her fault. It would be her fault for expending too much energy and getting captured. If she'd never gotten captured then Vi would never have gotten shot or carbon monoxide poisoning or whatever the fuck was doing this to her friend right now. She also knew that she would anever be able to express this in words.

Sure, she could try to tell Vi about it. Vi would just reiterate that she forgave her or say that it wasn't her fault. She would try but she wouldn't understand and Claire needed to be understood. Yet, her web of people she could talk to had dwindled to Vi and Kraken and Claire would rather run barefoot over hot coals than talk to her uncle about her feelings.

Softly she banged her head up against the window. She wasn't even sixteen yet. She should be worrying about getting her permit and her grades, which had recently taken a slight dive, right now instead of life or death guilt. There should be some boy she should be worried about or aspirations to college.

Of course she didn't want to be worrying about those things. She didn't want to be like those other airheaded girls who giggled and tried out for the cheerleading squad. Even if she hadn't assumed the mask of Torpere she wouldn't want that. Yet, was feeling like this better than being stupid? She'd probably rather pick being stupid, but then she'd be a completely different person.

If she wasn't her then she'd never thought up being a superhero. Admittedly it had caused most of her troubles, but at the same time it had saved her from the mire she had been sinking into at home. It saved her from having to concentrate on a mother who had betrayed her and made her see the world as a cold and dangerous place. She longed for the days before she had that knowledge, when her mother was still a beautiful princess who was worth faking sick to stay at home with.

Once more she wished for someone to talk to. She'd talked to Vi so much about her mother, even about her father, that it made her head hurt. It hadn't helped anything though except making Vi worry about her. She wondered if this was how it had started with her mother's family, no one wanting to say anything for fear of hurting the others or scorn and then eventually withdrawing so deep into themselves no one could get them out. From being withdrawn they might've become the bitter adults they were today.

Pulling her head away from the glass she looked over the City again. She didn't want that to happen to her, she couldn't let that happen to her. That was why she had told Vi everything, probably why she had told Kraken her real name. She needed these connections right now more than anything else and she couldn't let them go. Yet, she would have to, just this once.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but we need proof of I.D-"

"How about I break that nose of yours and have that pretty young surgeon you've been eyeing for the past ten minutes fix it for you?!" said a snarly, near-hysterical voice.

Claire turned around to see an orderly arguing with a woman some distance away. She couldn't see who they were but it was obvious that the orderly looked uncomfortable. She didn't blame him. The woman sounded like she was ready to kill.

"Ma'm," he said, his voice warbling only slightly, "If you insist then I'm going to have to call security-"

"Listen asshole," the woman said defiantly, "If you call security then I am going to dissolve into helpless tears and say how mean you've been to me and won't let me see my daughter even though she's in the damn ICU. Now I am a very good actress and that little episode wouldn't look good at all on your permanent record, now would it?"

The orderly turned pale. If this woman wasn't allowed to see this daughter she was probably going to start World War III. Impressive. Claire took a few steps forward. She still wanted to keep her distance, just so she didn't look like she was eavesdropping, even though she was.

"Alright," the orderly said hurriedly, "Now, uh, what did you say your daughter's name was again?"

"Claire Smith," she declared.

Claire felt her legs turn into jelly. Now that she was near enough she could see that the woman, her eyes red-rimmed from crying, had purple hair.

"Mom?" she asked weakly.

Her mother turned around slowly and for a moment just stared at her daughter. Neither of them said a word. Neither of them moved, and neither of them even noticed the orderly scamper off.

"They, they called me," her mother said, stammering over the words, "They said you might die and I thought…I just knew I had to…I…I just…"

Claire watched as her mother burst into tears. Part of her screamed to get far away from this woman, that it was just another trick, another lie. Yet, she knew the tears were real. The part of her that admitted this told her that maybe she had been wrong. Maybe her mother had been as scared as her that night and loved her and couldn't lose her. Maybe she had hated her all these months for nothing.

She felt the second part flood through like ice, taking over her thoughts and actions. Tentatively she took a few more steps until she was only a few inches away from her mother. Then, still hesitantly, she wrapped her arms around her.

"It's okay," she whispered, "I'm alright. I'm here."

And the sun came up.