*evil, evil smirk* Awwww...did the last interlude confuse my poor readers? Sorry, kiddies, but it had to be there. I'll need the FoH later on, and I have spent too much time and effort on the fic to just bring them in as a Convenient Plot Device ™. It's there. Accept it.
We now return to our regular program.
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A/N 1: As in the previous chapters – ideas for fic and character development, questions, plotbunnies, suggestions, flames, character pictures, corrections, additions, comments, and everything in between can be mailed to hack_heaven@usa.net
A/N 2: Ageless: Going pro? Cool ^^ (and well...the interlude *was* necessary to the story, sooo...*g*). Oh, and I wrote that scene we talked about. It deserves the NC-17 rating, all right *smirk*)
Italics indicates thoughts/telepathy (including the emotions Diana makes others feel through her powers)
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Chapter Thirty-Nine: In the Midst of Confusion
* * *
"Do you...do you want to talk about it?" Kyle asked from his place in the chair next to Suzuka's bed.
It if had been any other situation, Suzuka would have found the awkward expression on his face amusing, but not tonight. Instead she just sighed and looked away.
"What's to talk about?" she asked tiredly. The jaded tone in her voice made her sound far older than her years, and told better than words ever could how bad she felt.
"It helps to talk, you know," Kyle pointed out.
Suzuka didn't reply, and Kyle sighed.
"We were worried about you."
"So was I," Suzuka whispered, but didn't elaborate.
"What do you mean?" Kyle asked, encouraging her to go on.
"They were going to kill me...she told me that," Suzuka said and stared at the wall with an empty expression on her face.
She?
"Nike?" Kyle guessed, and Suzuka nodded slowly.
"Yeah. She's...she's insane," the girl whispered. "Violence and pain I can handle. But she...she gets *into* your head. She talks to you, and figures out your weaknesses, and then uses them again you...and she-she *enjoys* it."
Kyle didn't reply, unsure of what to say. There were no words of comfort and no encouragement that wouldn't sound superficial and hollow.
"She told me she'd shoot me," Suzuka continued, this time barely audibly. "She said that she would shoot me in the head, and that I wouldn't feel anything."
Kyle closed his eyes briefly.
Christ.
Suzuka finally turned her head to look at Kyle, and for the first time she seemed to register his presence.
"You stopped her," she whispered, and there was something in her voice that Kyle couldn't quite decipher. "Thank you."
Kyle nodded, feeling downright awkward. He wasn't used to talking about other people's feeling - or his own - and this whole conversation was making him a bit uncomfortable.
Suzuka fell silent again and returned to her contemplation of the wall. Kyle remained where he was, unwilling to leave his teammate alone while she was in that condition - none of them knew how Suzuka reacted to situations like the one she'd just been through, and Kyle didn't want her to get hurt.
"Jhonen was there," Suzuka finally said quietly. There was no anger in her voice, no sadness, no fury...it unsettled Kyle. Suzuka had quite a temper, especially when it came to people who had betrayed her - the lack of emotions she now showed made Kyle more than a bit concerned.
"Jhonen?" he asked, encouraging her to go on.
"Yes...he was the one who discovered me," Suzuka continued, this time with bitterness in her voice. "He's already their little pet - he follows Nike around like a puppy."
Jhonen and *Nike*? Kyle thought, and felt his stomach turn at the thought of his former teammate with the Greek assassin. That's...sick!
"Jhonen..." he whispered and shook his head. "What are you doing?"
"Don't pity the little coward," Suzuka said bitterly, and some of her normal temper slowly started to return. "He probably planned it all along. That traitor!"
Kyle frowned, but didn't reply. If only to himself, he had to admit that he found it hard to believe that Jhonen had planned it all from the beginning - the kid had a good heart. He wouldn't have done that to them, no matter what Suzuka believed.
"Maybe he had a reason," Kyle said quietly. Yes, Jhonen had left them, but somewhere deep down Kyle still cared about the kid and wanted to give him the benefit of doubt.
It was obviously the wrong thing to say. Suzuka sat up, ignoring the pain from the wounds, and glared angrily at Kyle.
"You're defending him?! The coward betrayed us! Whose side are you on, anyway?!" she demanded furiously.
"Suzuka!" Kyle said, trying to calm her down. "I'm not defending him, I'm just saying that maybe there's more to the story than we know," he explained quickly. "Calm down before you hurt yourself."
He reached out to put a hand on her shoulder, but she instinctively flinched, and Kyle winced in sympathy.
"It's okay...I'm not going to hurt you," he said softly.
Suzuka looked away.
"Sorry..." she whispered. "Bad memories."
Kyle sighed and put a comforting hand on her shoulder, trying to get her to lie back down. Suzuka resisted slightly, then surrendered as the pain and tiredness started to catch up with her.
"Don't defend him, Kyle," she said quietly. "He doesn't deserve it."
"Everyone deserves the benefit of doubt," Kyle replied in the same quiet voice.
Suzuka snorted.
"Doubt? What doubt? They would have killed me, and he wouldn't have lifted a finger to save me! That's all there is to it," she said with finality.
"All right," Kyle said soothingly, unwilling to get into a fight with Suzuka. "All right."
He stretched, then got up to leave the room, but Suzuka's voice stopped him.
"Please stay?" she whispered.
Kyle was more than a bit surprised to see her more vulnerable side, but didn't show it. Instead, he sat down again and stroked her hair gently, and could actually see some of the tension leave her.
"As long as you want me to," he replied softly.
And for the first time since the failed mission, Suzuka felt safe.
* * *
Diana sat on the edge of Ryan bed, watching him silently. Some of the restlessness had disappeared - he didn't move around nearly as much anymore, but Diana wasn't sure if it was a good sign or not. His fever had dropped a bit, though - not much, but some - and that was something to be thankful for, at least.
Diana sighed tiredly. She hated waiting, but until Ben woke up, there was nothing else they could do. She felt Ryan move slightly, and stroked his hair, trying to calm him down a bit.
"Diana?" the voice was low and raspy, but to Diana it was the sweetest sound she'd heard in a long time.
"Yes, Ryan. I'm here," she whispered, and stroked his hair gently. "It's okay."
Ryan opened her eyes, and Diana felt her worry increase as she finally got a good look at him. She knew that the bullet wound was halfway healed - enough to stop the bleeding, but there was still an ugly bruise left underneath the bandage. It was the poison they had to worry about now - Ben had been able to take care of some of it, but it was far from enough, Diana could see that now.
Ryan's short, black hair and deep blue eyes, combined with the effects of the poison, made him seem paler than healthy was, and his eyes were blank, unfocused.
Delirious, Diana realized worried.
"Diana?" he repeated, this time with a bit of concern in his voice.
"Yes, Ryan. It's going to be okay, I promise. I'm not going to leave you," she whispered soothingly. "It's okay, Ryan."
Ryan breathed a small sigh of relief, more at the sound of her voice than the words.
"I though you were..." he trailed off and shook his head with a weak motion.
...Dead? Wounded? Gone? Diana wondered silently. What did you see?
"I won't leave you, Ryan," she repeated and kissed his brow gently. "I promise."
Her voice seemed to calm him down a bit - the tension slowly left his tired body as he allowed himself to relax again. Even while poisoned and half-delirious, he still kept a firm control of himself. That worried Diana. Nobody should have to keep that firm a control over themselves when they could barely think straight.
"And Suzuka?" Ryan whispered.
"She's safe," Diana assured him gently, deliberately leaving out the girl's mental condition. Ryan was in no shape to worry about anyone but himself.
Ryan closed his eyes, but didn't reply, and Diana sighed.
"Get some sleep, Ryan," she said softly. "You need to rest."
Sleep, Ryan. You need it. Go to sleep...I'll watch over you.
Ryan's eyes snapped open, this time more alert as he forced away part of the heavy fog that clouded his mind.
"Don't use your powers on me, Diana," he said, and there was something in his voice that Diana couldn't quite identify - annoyance? Fear? Whatever it was, it wouldn't help on his condition, and Diana stroked his hair gently.
"I'm sorry," she apologized quietly. "I won't do it again."
On impulse, she leaned closer and kissed him gently, silently apologizing again. Their lips barely brushed each other, but it was enough to make Ryan tense and try to pull away.
"Don't," he pleaded, and Diana pulled a bit away, just enough to look him in the eyes.
"Why?" she asked, a bit hurt. "Am I that repulsive?"
Ryan sighed.
"Not repulsive," he whispered. "Never think that."
Diana frowned. Some part of her kept whispering that she should get up and leave the room, and let the subject lie. She pointedly ignored it, though.
"Then why, Ryan? What are you scared of?" she asked softly.
"Leave it alone, Diana," Ryan replied tiredly.
And Diana should have stopped there, she knew that. She herself had gotten less than two hours of sleep, and Ryan was half-delirious from the wound in his shoulder. She should have followed orders, and left it alone
But she couldn't. She had to know, and this was probably the best chance she'd ever get to hear the truth.
"No," she replied, and this time there was an edge of determination to her voice. "I have to know. I don't-"
Whatever else she might have said was cut short as Ryan caught her mouth in an almost demanding kiss, and Diana froze in surprise. The kiss she'd given him had been sweet and chaste, a kiss between two friends; this was fierce, passionate, demanding, and everything but platonic.
And before Diana had the chance to respond, Ryan pulled away again with an almost challenging look on his face.
"That's why," he said hoarsely and sank down in the bed again. "Leave it alone, Diana. I don't want to hurt you."
"You won't," Diana whispered.
Ryan just sent her a cynical smile and closed his eyes.
"Maybe not now, or tomorrow, but it will happen," he replied and felt the tiredness returned. "Find someone your own age. I'm not boyfriend material."
Diana opened her mouth to argue, but Ryan cut her off.
"Don't. I'm tired, Diana. Let me sleep," he whispered.
Diana sighed, but nodded.
Sleep, Ryan. Go to sleep. Everything is going to be okay...she whispered, and this time he didn't resist. She heard his breathing become slow and steady as he finally fell into a much-needed sleep, and she caressed his cheek gently.
"Sleep well," she whispered. "I'll be here when you wake up, I promise."
And even through all the confusion and worry she felt, there was one thought that kept circling her mind.
He kissed me.
* * *
It was maybe an hour later when Kyle heard someone in the door, and saw West watching Suzuka with a concerned expression.
"How is she?" he asked quietly.
Kyle sighed.
"She'll be okay, in time," he replied, then frowned. "Shouldn't you be asleep by now?"
West shrugged and stepped into the room.
"I woke up when Deirdre and Prue left to get some fresh air. Couldn't sleep afterwards," he explained. "I'm used to working at night, you know...old habits die hard."
"Wait, wait...they left?" Kyle asked concerned.
West just looked confused.
"Yeah. About half an hour ago...they said they needed some fresh air," he repeated, then noticed Kyle's concern. "Don't worry, Prue knows this city fairly well. She's not the type who gets into trouble."
Kyle shook his head.
"Yeah...yeah, I know. I'm just..."
"Paranoid?" West asked with a small smile.
"Yeah," Kyle admitted.
"Well, if the Shadow Alliance wanted to attack us, they would have done so by now, wouldn't they? Besides, the obvious target would be this place, and not the bar Prue and Deirdre wandered off to," West pointed out.
Kyle frowned.
"Bar?" he repeated. "'Dre is only fifteen!"
"Don't worry, it's not a real bar," West explained with a grin. "More like a mutant-friendly diner that doubles as a bar. It's not a bad place, actually."
"Bad or not, I'd feel a lot more comfortable if they were back here," Kyle decided. "Where is this bar, anyway?"
West shrugged.
"About ten minutes drive away from here," he said. "Why? Do you think we should go there and bring them back home?"
Kyle looked at Suzuka. The girl was fast asleep, and it was unlikely that she would wake up anytime soon. Besides, it wouldn't take long to pick up the two girls and get back again - half at hour, at the most.
He nodded slowly, and got up.
"Yeah...maybe it's just paranoia, but I think it's a good idea."
West just shrugged, then followed Kyle out the door.
* * *
Coming up: Jhonen begins to suspect that his momentary control of Erik wasn't just a stroke of luck, and that there might be more to his powers than anyone has ever imagined...
