Black Ice

Disclaimer: "I believe in second chances. I believe in redemption. And most of all, I believe in my friends." – Superman to Hawkgirl, from the Justice League Unlimited episode "Wake the Dead"

Chapter 49: Sapphire Rebirth

Freedom Force HQ, Los Angeles

Three days had passed since Bobby Drake laid the final blow against the psychotic mutant called Virus. The team of teenage mutants had been helping to clean up the area after Virus's attack, but they had been allowed to go home today, because SHIELD could now take care of the rest of the work. During that time, the X-Men were cloistered in their mansion, and they didn't speak much with the SHIELD-handled team.

Shan Coy, the Vietnamese mind-controller called Karma, sat on the porch, staring into the sky. She was doing some tanning, as well as some thinking.

Man, what a crazy few months this has been. The young woman thought. Oh well, at least things can get back to normal. At least…as normal as it gets on this team. She noticed Shiro Yoshida, the Japanese solar plasma generator called Sunfire, walk up to her. She immediately sat up. "Hey, Shiro. Is something up?"

"I just wish to speak to you, that's all." Shiro responded. "May I sit down?"

"Go ahead." Shan nodded. Shiro picked up a nearby lawn chair, and took a seat next to the Vietnamese girl.

"I have just been thinking about Gina." Shiro explained, referring to the young Italian-American plant-manipulator. Shan nodded.

"Oh yeah." Shan nodded. "I noticed you two had grown close. You've taken her under her wing, of sorts."

"Indeed." Shiro confirmed. "She has become sort of a little sister to me. As you know, I attempted to show her that the path she was taking would only lead to her own destruction." Shan understood.

"And it seems like you succeeded." Shan smiled.

"Yes." Shiro nodded. "The actions of Bobby Drake, what Thunderbolt is starting to refer to as 'Sapphire Twilight'…" Shiro shook his head.

"Huh?" Shan blinked.

"He coined it as a pun. He said the events were similar to events in a comic book storyline he read." Shiro explained. (1)

"You know Kyle." Shan chuckled. "Ever the sci-fi geek. What a dichotomy."

"Anyway, I was speaking about Gina." Shiro continued. "Iceman's actions have made Gina see that the path she was one was wrong." He looked up at Shan. "She still needs something, though."

"What's that?"

"Guidance." Shiro answered. "She needs a new path. She needs enlightenment." He sighed. "She understands that revenge is wrong, but she is still angry. And she still feels she does not have strength." He looked at Shan. "She needs to learn to channel the negative energy of her anger and change it into positive energy. She needs to find the strength to truly overcome the demons of her past."

"…What're you suggesting?" Shan wondered.

"…Well…" Shiro sighed. "As you know, I still have some family in my native Japan…I wish for Botanica and myself to be taken off the active list, and put on reserve."

"You two would be the only reserve members we had." Shan chuckled.

"Indeed." Shiro nodded with his own rare chuckle. "I basically would like to take Botanica to Japan with me."

"Why?" Shan raised an eyebrow.

"I still have family there." Shiro explained. "I wish to take Gina to Japan to help her find peace. To help her heal from all the trauma she has been through. There, I can also help her find peace, and a new path."

"What's in Japan?" Shan wondered.

"My family's dojo." Shiro answered. "I think she can find peace there." Shan nodded.

"You'll have to clear it with Fontaine." Shan nodded. "But as far as I'm concerned, you got my blessing. She could use somewhere quiet…only one thing." Shan scratched her head. "How do you plan to help her find peace in Japan?"

"I wish to train her in the martial arts, in particular, the way of the samurai." Shiro answered. "Gina could use a way to heal her spirit. And I believe that the training could give her that." Shan thought about it.

"If you believe it's best, Shiro. Is Gina good with it?"

"I have told her. She is nervous, but also excited." Shiro smiled slightly. "She would love to learn how the Japanese cook." He then remembered something. "You know, Bobby is recovering in the Helicarrier."

"I know." Shan nodded. "I'll come see him when he wakes up. For right now, though, I heard he had some visitors."

A hospital bed on the SHIELD Helicarrier

"Uhn…" Bobby Drake moaned, turning his head. "Oh…" He slowly opened his eyes. "Wha-? Where?" The ice-maker mumbled. He looked down at himself and noticed he was in a bed. "Huh?" He slowly sat up. He noticed he was in a hospital gown, and he had an IV in his arm. "Where am I?"

"You're in the Helicarrier." A voice answered. Bobby turned and noticed a nurse. "You were out cold. You slept for three whole days."

"Three days?" Bobby's eyes widened. The nurse nodded.

"Mm-hmm. Somebody is here to see you." The nurse told the ice-maker.

"Who is it?" Bobby wondered. He got his answer in the form of a head peeking in.

"Uhm…Hello?" Elizabeth Guthrie asked nervously, peeking in the room.

"He is awake." The nurse told Elizabeth as she left. "I'll leave you both alone."

"Oh, great." Bobby groaned as he saw Elizabeth walk in. She had on a badge on her jacket, indicating she was a visitor.

"Hi, Bobby." Lizzie greeted.

"If you're here because Lucas sent you, then tell him that he can take his opinion of me and stick it, because I've stopped caring what he thought of me." Bobby grumbled.

"Lucas didn't send me, Bobby. Ah came here of mah own volition." Lizzie explained. She then smirked. "But Ah'll give him your message." Bobby groaned.

"Thanks. Make me feel like an idiot all over again." Bobby groaned.

"Sorry." Lizzie winced. "Ah just wanted to see how you were doing."

"I was asleep for three days." Bobby answered. "…I should be dead."

"What?" Lizzie blinked.

"…I should be dead." Bobby repeated. "…I didn't want to survive that whole thing with Virus. I didn't care about living. I don't really have anything to live for anymore."

"Why do you say that?" Lizzie crossed her arms.

"…You love Lucas." Bobby sighed. "Nobody cares about me. I nearly killed the X-Men…"

"How did you know the X-Men are alive?" Lizzie raised a blonde pierced eyebrow.

"Lila told me back when I was in Stokes." Bobby explained. "Anyway, I nearly killed you, and I tried to kill Freedom Force." Bobby looked up. "I can't live in a sewer, and there's no way I'm joining Magneto, and let's just say Nightshift wouldn't want me around, so…" Bobby sighed. "As soon as I get a clean bill of health, I'm on my own. Again. There's no point in living anymore for me. It's not like I got anything good going for me anymore."

"You know what Ah think?" Lizzie smirked. "Ah think there was a reason why you survived. Deep down…you wanted to live." Bobby looked down.

"Why are you here, Liz?" Bobby sighed. "You have no reason to be here."

"A couple friends brought me up. And…Ah just felt bad for you." Lizzie shrugged. "Besides, Ah wanted to make mah peace with you." She took a seat and sat down next to the bed-ridden ice-maker. She let out a sigh. "Ah was inconsiderate. You see, Ah was so intent on finding mah own identity, to distance mahself from the rest of mah family, that Ah…Ah…Ah didn't think." She admitted. "Ah didn't think about the effect mah actions and mah attitude had on other people." She looked at Bobby. "Ah also didn't bother to think that maybe…how do Ah say this…that…that Ah had an impression on some people."

"You did, alright." Bobby admitted shamefully.

"If had known, Bobby…" Lizzie shook her head. "If Ah had known…If Ah had known you liked me like that, Ah…Ah would've respected your feelings and tried to let you down easy. After all, Ah learned something from all this. No matter how hard Ah tried to escape it, Ah am a Guthrie."

"Yeah. To me, you were the pretty one." Bobby sighed. His ice blue eyes started to mist. "Lizzie, I am really sorry for everything." He looked up at her. "I didn't intend to hurt you or kill your baby all those months ago. That will always be on my conscience. Not to mention all the other stuff. I know it won't fix everything, but it's really all I have right now. All I can do is apologize. I had just lashed out. I just wanted you to fall flat on your butt. I never intended for you to fall off the cliff. I really didn't." A tear came down Bobby's cheek. "I don't deserve your forgiveness. I know you forgave me, but I don't deserve it. I don't deserve anything."

"Ah think you do." Lizzie put a hand on Bobby's shoulder. "You know what you did, you regret it, and you wanted to make up for it. To me at least, you deserve a new chance. Besides, look at it this way. Maybe it just wasn't meant to be between us. We're too different." Bobby nodded.

"I guess you have a point." Bobby sighed. "But at least you're happy with Lucas."

"Ah am." Lizzie smiled. "He's not really a bad guy. He's just got a lot of issues."

"Yeah." Bobby sighed. "But will I ever be? To me, you were my one shot, and I never even took it. I'll never find someone to be happy with."

"Ah highly doubt that." Lizzie chuckled. "You got a good heart, which you hid for a long time under an icy shell. You just have to let people see it." She thought about one of the people she was with. "And Ah'm sure there's someone out there for you. Who knows? They might be closer than you think." Lizzie got up. "Ah have to get going. Lucas doesn't know Ah'm here…Ah, but then again, if he finds out, that's his problem." She was about to leave.

"Wait…" Bobby stopped her. "About the stuff I said back in the mall…"

"Ah know." Lizzie smiled. "You didn't mean it. Water under the bridge." She went back out of the room. Lila stood right outside the door.

"Is he awake?" Lila asked.

"Yeah, he is." Lizzie nodded. "He's feeling a bit down. He thinks he has nowhere to go." She sighed sadly. "Hey uh, Lila, is it?" Lila nodded. "Could you please do something for me?"

"Yeah." Lila blinked.

"…Take good care of Bobby." Lizzie told the interstellar teleporter. "He needs his friends. He needs to know that he's not alone." Lila smiled.

"He never was." Lila reassured. "He's seen that."

"Yeah, babe." Ace added, patting Lizzie's shoulder.

"Can we go in and see the big lug now?" Kyle grumbled, looking at his watch. "The Thunderbolt has plans today!"

"Awww…" Shan chuckled, mussing up Kyle's hair. "Don't worry, Thunderbolt. You'll get to say goodbye to Gina before she leaves tonight."

"Hey!" Kyle blushed. "That's not what the Thunderbolt meant!"

"Thanks. Ah gotta get mah butt home before Lucas starts to worry." Lizzie smiled.

"Your escort is waiting for you over there." Shan pointed out. "And don't forget your blindfold!"

"Don't worry! Ah won't!" Lizzie waved as she left. The four members of Freedom Force walked into the room. Bobby couldn't believe it.

"Hey, pal!" Ace grinned, giving Bobby a hug. "Good to have you back!"

"I…I…" Bobby mumbled in shock.

"I'm so glad you're alive!" Lila grabbed Bobby in a hug. Her eyes misted.

"I thought you guys would hate me." Bobby mumbled. "After the stuff I did."

"You weren't in the right state of mind, Bobby." Shan reminded.

"Besides, the Thunderbolt can't hate a guy for taking down Virus by his lonesome." Kyle shrugged with a smile.

"W-w-wh…" Bobby looked around.

"The others are gonna come by and visit later." Ace told the ice-maker. "They've been busy helping clean up in Bayville. It's been a crazy three days…not to mention that they only allow so many visitors at a time."

"Yeah. Sorry about all that." Bobby sighed sadly.

"Hey, we're just glad you're okay." Lila smiled as she sat down next to Bobby and stroked his head.

"Oh, I'm not okay. Well, I won't be for a while." Bobby shook his head. He looked up at Shan. "I guess I've been kicked off Freedom Force, right? Wouldn't surprise me if you did." Shan shook her head.

"No, I didn't." Shan shook her head. "I knew that was the last thing you needed. However…" She sighed. "Your participation in missions will be extremely limited. You will also have to wear a special collar that reduces your powers to a manageable level. And finally, you will be required to report in for a weekly counseling session, until you show that you are judged mentally stable enough to contribute fully to the team." She looked at Bobby sadly. "I'm really sorry, Bobby. It was the most lenient punishment I could get."

"It's alright, Shan. I'm not mad about it." Bobby nodded. "I don't deserve it anyway. I'm surprised you all still wanted me on the team."

"Bobby, don't say that." Lila shook her head. "We care about you."

"Yeah, man." Ace chuckled, patting Bobby's shoulder. "I told you, brother. Ace Starr never abandons his friends."

"Thanks, guys…" Bobby let out a slight smile. He looked up and sighed. "I just wish that I could go back, you know. I know the X-Men are alright, but I don't think they'll ever take me back."

"No wonder they say you can't go home again, jabroni." Kyle rolled his eyes.

"So the X-Men may not forgive you. So what?" Ace shrugged. "It doesn't matter, as long as you forgive yourself. Besides, I think they'll come around with time."

"I lost so much." Bobby sighed.

"Yeah, but look at what you've gained." Shan countered. "You've got some great new friends, and you will learn a lot from this, so you'll gain a lot of wisdom."

"But I don't really have anything from my old life anymore. The girl I loved liked someone else, I burned my bridges with my old friends, and…" Bobby started, nodding.

"Your bridges with us survived it." Ace finished. "You may have essentially lost your old life, but look at it like this: This isn't the end. Think of this as a new beginning."

"Mm-hmm." Lila agreed with a smile. "You got a chance to turn things around now. To finally find the happiness that I know you've been looking for."

"And we'll be with you every step of the way." Shan reassured. "I promise you that. You're a good man, Bobby Drake." The Vietnamese mutant smiled and patted his shoulder. "I'm not gonna throw a good man off the team for making a mistake. Especially if he's willing to make up for that mistake and pay the consequences." Bobby couldn't believe it. After all he had done during his downward spiral into madness, as well as in his time of insanity…when he was at his lowest point…they still cared about him and stood up for him. His ice blue eyes misted up.

"You mean it? You…really mean it?" Bobby smiled.

"I do." Shan nodded. "You rest up quick."

"Aw, let him take his time, Shanny." Ace chuckled.

"Yeah, it's not like he will be allowed to do anything with us for a while." Kyle added.

"Actually, Bobby can participate in missions if and only if we need him." Lila corrected.

"I don't mind." Bobby smiled. "Thanks, you guys. I really appreciate this."

"You're welcome, man." Ace nodded.

"None of you had to be here for me." Bobby told them. "I would've understood if you all gave up on me."

"Never." Lila stroked his head. "You're too good a person to give up on."

Next: Sapphire Epilogue

(1) – Yup! Green Lantern was one of the inspirations behind "Black Ice". Particularly, the storyline "Emerald Twilight", a controversial storyline from 1994. In the storyline, Hal Jordan, the Green Lantern of the Silver Age of Comic Books, went insane with grief over the loss of his hometown of Coast City.