The Timeservers

Chapter 47

New York City, New York

The Spire

Infirmary

December 20, 227 P.F.E

0900 hours

Via takes a deep breath. She tries to slow down all the crazy thoughts pinging around in her head. She'd been thinking about what would happen when she and Kelly met up again all night. It helped keep the thoughts of everything else that happened at bay. While everyone else was glued to the newscasts all night in the communal living room Via had been tucked away in her bedroom trying alternately to not think of Kelly and also think of every possibility that might happen when she met up with him again. It's one of the few times she longed to be an analyst.
She's dressed sort of like an analyst, all greys and dark colors. Bright colors just didn't seem right somehow. Black was too scary to even think about wearing. Black was supposed to be for when someone died. She didn't want to tempt fate, not after getting an idea of what life without Kelly might look like.
When she'd found out that Kelly was alive and in recovery, she would have cried tears of joy if she hadn't already used them all for sadness. Wisp had told her while brushing her hair to calm her and get the knots of the day out.
When Wisp's screen chimed with an incoming message Via stopped breathing. A life without Kelly flashed through her head. Sophia would be a mess. Leo would probably be a mess to. Via would be empty. She hadn't realized how much space Kelly took in her life. Leo was always there, but Kelly was too. Kelly was there in a way that let Via be more than just a mess who was looking for some elusive person to fix her. Kelly was there to help her find a way to fix herself. He opened up to her in the way that only Kelly does, letting her see everything about himself by pointing at something or someone else that happened to reflect him. She wanted him to keep being there. She wanted... him.
"He made it out of surgery." Wispsmiled. "They're keeping him down there for observation overnight, but we'll all be able to see him in the morning. He should be discharged by nine tomorrow. He's going to be alright."
"I was scared for a second."
"We all were. He's been through worse though."
"Everyone keeps saying that. It doesn't make it better though."
"No, it doesn't."
Now Via is nervous to see just how well he got out of surgery. The last time she saw him he wasn't exactly doing well. He was also deliberately pushing her away to save his own life.
She takes the step around the corner that will let her see Kelly. Kelly had made sure that everyone would be able to see him once he got out of surgery. When she catches sight of him her breath hitches in her throat. He's still a little pale but looking much better than he had. His hair is more mussed than usual, falling into his eyes as he packs up some of the things he had brought down. He's also not moving as fast as he normally would and slows down when he's getting close to bending at the waist.
"Hey there, Jasper," Sophia calls, leaning against the wall.
Kelly grins, turning around to look at Via. He hikes his bag onto his shoulder and picks up a set of crutches from where they lean on the wall. "You heard about that little mishap, huh? It'sKelly again, or Phoenix to anyone not in the inner circle. Now let's get out of this place!"
"I can take your bag if you'd like. You don't need to be a hero anymore."
Kelly adjusts himself, freeing his arm and sliding the bag down it. He holds it out to Via and she takes it, slinging it over her head and across her torso. The two walk out of the infirmary together and Kelly takes a deep breath and closes his eyes.
"Was so looking forward to being out of that place. It will be nice to sleep in my own bed again."
"I heard you and Sophia might be heading north soon. More of the mission, a little rest for you, hopefully." Via twists her hands a little. She's trying to look at Kelly while not looking atKelly as they wait for the elevator.
Kelly is looking at other girls again. He smiles charmingly at some girls who wave at him and have stars in their eyes. The hero who helped the candidates is noticing them. It just amps the prestige of being with Kelly Liu, as he'd said.
It hurts her more than she'd like to admit, or than she thought it would. She just wants the elevator to get down so that the two of them might be alone together. Not that that would make things any better.
"So, you weren't with the rest of the spectres this morning," Kelly says once the elevator arrives.
"No. I'm still not doing too great with crowds after that whole thing. It makes me feel like everyone's looking at me waiting for me to cry. Besides, I wanted to have a little bit of Kelly time before your adoring public makes it so there's a permanent blockade around you. You're also probably the only person who will understand what yesterday was like."
"You get much sleep?"
"Nope. You?"
"Tossed and turned all night. Though that may have mostly been because of all the noise and lights and the fact that my abdomen's been basically sewn back together. It will be a while till walking around shirtless is an option. Well, walk around in general."
Via is horrified to feel the blush she's been desperately holding onto finally break the surface. Even the slightest hint at anything that happened between the two of them yesterday had been sending her blushing. Hearing something like that from Kelly is almost too much.
"Not going to have to walk through a crowd of people to get to my bedroom, right? Kind of beat."
"No, no. Sophia thought you would be. She's distracting everyone."
Kelly grins. "Ah, a surprise party. That's probably not the wisest idea to surprise a guy who's held together by string, steri-strips, and freshly infused stem cells."
"Probably not."
"Sophia was grateful for what you did. Don't know if she's told you yet," Kelly says. He shifts a little on his crutches and looks at Via for a brief moment before looking away.
"She hadn't. I haven't seen her since before the incident. Thank you." Via has to keep herself from screaming. She wants to shake Kelly and demand that he take things personally and that he stop hiding. She just digs her fingernails into the bag and tries to mirror his mask.