Tempest: The Moments In-Between (#1.5)

Chapter Four: Elephant in the Room

Jack Hamilton

"Des—"

 "Cher, if you ask me one more time to take Penn to the hospital, I will tie you up in the next room, and put a gag over your mouth."

 I made a face at the very real scowl Des unleashed towards me. "Well, can you blame me? It's day three, and she still hasn't woken up yet!"

I've been watching Penn groan and squirm on the bed for what feels like a millennium. Ok, fine, not a millennium, but it might as well be. She's been sleeping for three whole days now. Anytime it looked like she was about to wake up, she simply closed her eyes again and went right back to sleep. Or at least, I hope she's getting some sleep. She's been consistently restless, so who can tell, really.

"It will be fine, Jack." Des put her scowl on simmer as she gave me a reassuring smile.

"Are you sure? Like, really sure?"

Des gave me this preternatural all-knowing look before nodding her head. "Oui, I am sure. In fact, it seems to me that she's making progress on the road to recovery."

"How?" I eyed her skeptically.

"Well, for one, her bandages have been less bloody. It's a sign that her body is trying to recover, and also... I just... know."

A chill went down my spine at that last part. Just because Des told me the truth about her, and that I've somewhat accepted it, doesn't mean that I completely understand it. There's a part of me—the very rational part of me—that keeps putting up a fight. I keep trying to tell him to put the dukes down and let it go, but... he's stubborn.

I ran a hand through my hair as I sighed and paced the length of the room.

I could feel Des eyes follow me as I moved. "Jack?" she called slowly.

"Yeah?" I closed my eyes for a second, feeling suddenly exhausted.

"You know it's not your fault, right?"

I paused mid-step to look at her. "How could you say that? Of course, this is my fault. If I wasn't up on the roof—if I had just left when Penn told me to—she wouldn't be lying on that bed, bleeding out!"

Des's calm seemed to unnerve me as she watched me through those big blue eyes of hers.

"She got hurt because of me." I glared angrily at Des, but the leer wasn't meant for her. "She's lying there because I don't know how to follow directions when it actually matters!"

Quickly, I used one of my hands to cover my face the second I saw my vision beginning to blur.

Des delicately laid her hand on top of the one that covered my face. Carefully, she lowered our hands to our side as she graced me with a sympathetic look that made me want to tell her every guilty thing I've ever done.

"Non," she shook her head. "None of this is your fault, Jack. Petite—" She glanced over at the bed before returning her eyes to mine. "—Penn knew exactly what she was doing. Regardless if you were on the roof, or if it was a stranger, chances are, she would have been in this same position."

My lips pushed together tightly, uncertain. That doesn't make me feel better about this whole thing. I thought at her. So... if it wasn't me, I would be worried sick about where Penn and Des were in the aftermath rather than knowing the truth? A knot tightened in my stomach at the notion.

"How do you know? How do you know that she'd still end up like this?"

"Because I know Penn." Des seemed slightly amused as she answered me. "Once she made that decision—the decision to remain as Tempest—she knew the risk that came with it. I mean, if anyone knows the risk of being a hero it is most certainly Penn Benson."

I nearly laughed as I considered that. Penn has always been obsessed with comic books and heroes—ever since I've known her, and probably even longer than that. So, I guess if there was an expert on the matter, it would definitely be her. But still. Did that excuse the fact that the circumstances leading up to this moment was because she felt she needed to rescue me?

"Tempest is a great superhero, but it's only because she has Penn's resilient and earnest heart." Des continued. "She was determined to minimize casualties, and if that meant she had to jump in front of people to stop them from getting hurt, then... that's exactly what she would have done anyway. Don't keep beating yourself up over something you had no control over. It's not worth the mental capacity you're giving it."

I took a deep breath before turning away from Des. Her words were attacking my mind on all fronts, and I was beginning to feel inclined to let her have this one. "Yeah... you're probably right." I confessed, but still felt guilty over the whole thing.

"Oh," She started up again. "Out of curiosity, why were you on the rooftop after she told us to leave?"

Her question made me laugh as I now realized the irony of the whole situation. "Honestly," I smirked. "It was because I noticed Penn's backpack in the corner of the roof. Since I had no idea where she was, stupid me thought I'd go and hold on to it for her. I figured she left it up there by accident or something. I guess I know better now."

Des looked confused for a moment before she asked, "How did you know it was Petite's?"

 "How could I not?" I faced her then, surprised that she hadn't noticed it when we were up there. "It was that beloved comic strip bag she got at comic con a few years back." I instantly recalled Penn proudly boasting about the amazing bag she got around the time when I first met her. She grinned like crazy whenever she talked about it. I felt a bit embarrassed as I added, "I'd never forget what it looks like."

Des's face seemed to find some sort of clarity as she smiled at me. "I see." Before I could ask her what that was about, she began to excuse herself. "Jack, would you mind watching her while I step out? I haven't been home in a little while now and need to make sure everything is in its rightful place."

"Uh, yeah, of course." I nodded. "It's no issue."

"Great." Her smile appeared relieved. "If anything, just call me, ok?"

I shook my new cell phone at her in response.

"Be back soon." Without another word, she was out of the room and I was all alone with Penn.

It took me a minute to build up the courage to go over and stand next to her, but when I finally made it there, I was happy just to be by her side despite how beat up she looked. Tempest's costume was singed around the edges and little holes of skin peeked out randomly around her shoulders. Penn's hair was a sweaty mess, and her face was bruised around her eyes, cheeks, and jaw. Penn certainly took one for the team.

"So," I began to address the elephant in the room. "You're Tempest, huh?" I don't know why I was expecting her to answer, but when she didn't, I just frowned and kept going. "You're Tempest, but Tempest looks like Felicia—who is supposedly your quote-unquote cousin." I pouted for a moment. "I didn't realize you were such a good liar until now, Penn. Usually, your face gives you away, but congratulations, you've leveled up from novice to master in a matter of weeks.

"You know, now that I think of it, all this time, you've probably just been laughing at me. Here I am, spilling my guts to Felicia about you. Confessing to how much I like you, and in the end, I was talking to you the whole time! Do you know how foolish that makes me feel? To hear me confess and then, play coy like you couldn't guess that I was talking about you. I mean, I couldn't have been more clear in my description, except maybe, if I had said your name."

She writhed uncomfortably and released a pent-up breath but did nothing else.

"What would you have done if I had told Felicia that I was in love with you? If I had told you I was in love with you... I mean, you're obviously still into Colin. For god's sake, you chased him down the street the other day with little thought to anything else. Can't you see that he—" I took a breath as I paused. "We're getting off topic."

"Mhmm..." She moaned as her eyes began to slowly flutter open.

"Penn..." I couldn't resist the urge to place my hand on her cheek as I waited for those beautiful blue-green eyes to reveal themselves.

She looked at me for a second, but it was like she wasn't even there. There was no clarity—no consciousness—telling me she even recognized me. And then, like it never happened, she closed her eyes and squirmed.