completely. “Well, you heard it here first. Shadow Star has promised he will take out the menace known as Pyro Storm. A fitting end to what will surely be a day to remember. Back to you, Steve.”
“Thanks, Rebecca. That was certainly illuminating. He seems to be the hero that Nova City needs. In other news, do squirrels have feelings? One expert’s answer may surprise you. Stay tuned.”
Nick grabbed the remote and turned the television off.
The room fell into darkness.
I meant what I said in the alley when our picture was taken.
Had he meant…?
It’d been raining.
Nick had accidentally probably on purpose kissed the side of his head.
Then—
There we go. Shadow Star, you don’t need to smile because you’re brooding and deep or whatever.
Exactly. I breathe the shadows of the dark, and—
Everyone say I think Nick is super cute!
I think Nick is super cute.
“What the hell?” Nick whispered. “He couldn’t have—”
Right?
But what if?
Did it even matter? Weren’t there more important things to focus on?
He picked up his phone. The screen lit up. He stared down at it.
He was on the cusp of something big. Something great. He didn’t want it, but he didn’t know if he had a choice.
He called the one person who could help him. The one person who could make it all okay.
It rang once. Twice. Three times.
A voice spoke.
“You’ve reached Seth’s voicemail. I’m probably busy. And nobody calls anyone anymore unless it’s an emergency. Send a text like a normal person. Unless it’s an emergency.”
He didn’t leave a message.
He remembered the way his father looked in the hospital, bruised and beaten.
He remembered being told that Before had become After.
Maybe it had all been leading to this.
Here. Now. This moment.
This was his origin story.
He found another name on his phone.
Highlighted it.
And yes, he hesitated, for the briefest of moments. The brave often do.
But in the end, he did the only thing he could.
It rang once. Twice. Three—
“Nicky,” a voice said, sounding smug. “Isn’t it a little late for you?”
He took a deep breath and said, “Owen. I’m ready now. How do we do it?”
16
Nick sat by his father’s hospital bed, holding his hand.
People came and went.
They smiled at him softly, sympathy clear on their faces.
He hated it.
* * *
Dad looked the same.
There were no changes.
He hated that too.
* * *
“You were going to tell me something yesterday,” Nick said suddenly. Gibby looked up at him warily from across the table in the hospital cafeteria. If Nick closed his eyes, he could almost pretend they were at school having lunch. Seth would be by his side, Gibby and Jazz across from him. Owen would be stealing food, grinning wickedly.
“What?” Gibby asked. She looked over at Jazz, who shrugged. They’d brought Nick his homework after school, but Nick didn’t care about that.
“Yesterday. In that supply closet. Before Officer Rookie came in. You said that you were tired of all of this. That there was something you had to tell me. What was it?”
Gibby looked away. “I don’t remember.”
“You don’t?”
“It doesn’t matter, Nicky. Wasn’t important.”
Nick didn’t believe her.
* * *
There was a knock at the door, startling Nick from watching his father’s heartbeat on the monitor.
“Come in,” Nick said hoarsely. He reached up and wiped his eyes. It was probably Becky coming to tell him who the night nurse would be. She said it’d be someone new, but that she’d introduce them at the shift change. They didn’t care if he was crying. They probably saw it a lot.
But it wasn’t a nurse. It was Martha Gray.
Nick stood, suddenly embarrassed. He didn’t know why. “Hi. Um. I didn’t know you were coming.”
Martha smiled respectfully, purse clutched in front of her. “I hope you don’t mind. Is it okay that I’m here? I can come back later, if you want.”
Nick shook his head. “No, it’s okay.” Then, with his heart thudding faster, he looked behind her, wondering if Seth had come too. If he had, maybe things would be different. Maybe he wouldn’t have to go through with what he’d planned.
He wasn’t there.
Martha’s smile faded. She looked grief-stricken. “Only me, I’m afraid.”
It hurt. A lot. “Yeah,” Nick said. “Sure. That’s fine. I mean, it’s just my dad, right?”
Martha took a step forward. “Nick, you have to believe me when I say he wants to be here. Probably more than anything in the world.”
“Then why isn’t he here?”
“Sometimes, there are things bigger than our wishes or desires.” She closed the door behind her. Nick looked away as she walked around to the other side