14 months ago
"What do you think you're doing?! GO. TO. BED."
"Mmhm... "
"NOW!"
Lexi's eyes squinted against the onslaught of light burning her retinas. Who the FUCK had turned the lights on?
"Lexi, I swear to God! Its 5 in the fucking morning!"
A glance at the holographic clock on the other side of the room confirmed that it was indeed 5:07am. Lexi sighed. Oh well, it wasn't the first time and definitely not the last time she would be doing an all nighter. Only most of the time she could get away with it without her sister finding out.
"Just give me uhhhhh, 10-15 minutes, ok? Just need to get these calculations in-"
Silence and a glare was all she got, so she threw a grin over her shoulder and turned back to her screens, tossing a few files into the slightly glitchy folder where she was holding her completed work. Lexi frowned. The storm that had hit last night must have affected something in the mainframe to cause the glitch. She doubted Emma would let her check it out now so it would have to wait.
A pair of hands grabbed the back of her desk chair and started tugging her backwards.
"Hey, hey- Emma! Emma, stop! WHat are you doing?!"
Lexi's fingers strained to reach the keyboard, to keep typing but couldn't quite reach, and she could feel herself losing balance-
"Ow!"
"Serves you right! Now get into bed! I don't want to see your face until at least 11!"
From where she lay on the floor, tangled in that one fluffy blanket that always ended up in her lap when she inevitably got cold, and her limbs all over the place, Lexi glared up at Emma, at that moment in time really wishing she could smack her.
"You've got hair in your mouth, you know?" Emma was giving her a shit-eating grin.
"Fuck off." Lexi stuck her tongue out. "Just because your hair always looks perfect."
"Not my fault the wind always targets your hair."
"You don't even beat it to death with hairspray. The universe loves you."
Emma reached down to help her up.
"We both know the universe blessed you with much more than wind-proof hair, Lex. Though she should probably have updated your grace and balance."
"Haha."
Back on her feet, Lexi turned back to her hologram screens, but Emma caught her arm and pulled her back.
"Not this time, little sister. ALICE? Save and shut down, please."
"Yes, Emma."
Lexi gave up and let her sister drag her to the bed, dumping all the stuff laying on it to the floor. She knew when to pick her battles, and when her AI was on her sister's side, she knew to give up. Emma manhandled her onto the bed and climbed in next to her, pulling the covers over them as ALICE turned the lights out.
"This way I can at least make sure you stay in bed."
"Got it."
…
…
…
"Move your feet, they're cold."
"Not my fault you hog the blankets."
…
...
"Em, I love you, but your hand is way too close to my boob."
"This is why we never shared a bed when we were younger."
…
…
…
BEEEP BEEP BEEEEEP!
"AAAAAARGH!"
Emma kicked the covers off the bed in frustration as the alarm went off. ALICE put the lights on low, just enough to see, and the clock read 7:26am.
Lexi was already on her feet, typing away at the keys, getting all the information she needed as to why the alert came through.
"Is it too much to ask that you get a good night's sleep?" Emma asked her, pressing the button in the wall that would bring up her sister's suit.
"I think your idea of a good night's sleep is different than mine, Emma. I sleep better after a mission anyway."
"That is a lie if I ever heard one. You never sleep after a mission. Too busy making sure the kids are ok, you are."
Lexi grinned at her.
"You know me so well."
Lexi slid her suit on, the black and silver cloth skin-tight but breathable. Emma thought she looked badass, and told her so every time she saw her in it. This time was no exception.
"It's not meant to be badass, it's meant to be recognisable."
"And it is," Emma reassured her. "Everyone knows the Phoenix wears black and silver, but her flames are scarlet and white. They light up the sky and bring children to safety."
Lexi laughed.
"You make it sound so cheesy."
"But it's true." Emma glanced at the holo screens, which were now focused on a street in Brooklyn. "How many?"
"Five. Eldest is fourteen. Youngest is five months. Distress call came directly from their house, so whatever is happening still is."
Emma grabbed her phone from the bedside table.
"I'll call Mads. Let her know we might need medical. Let me know when you're on your way back. Stay safe"
Lexi nodded, before letting the buzz of her power wash over her and felt the tightening feeling of being pulled from one place to another...