Summertime

Chapter Thirteen-The Aftermath is Secondary

All of us trudged slowly back to the Diner. Vine Spider and I were both sobbing hysterically, our lovers were both dead. Noise Flag was pressed against Show Pony, his arms wrapped tightly around her as he whispered something in her ear. I staggered along, Atomic Urgency with his arm around my shoulder to keep me from falling over.

The minute we got into the Diner, all of the girls ran to their rooms and slammed the doors. Urgency sat down with me on the couch and continued to hold me. Dr. D. and Show Pony went to go broadcast the news, and Grace went to tend to her flowers again.

“Shhh,” Urgency murmured as he stroked my hair. My sobs had begun to subside, but tears still continued to pour down my face.

“Do you want me to get you some water or something?” he asked gently. I shook my head.

“Anything you need at all…I’ll get it for you,” he said.

“Just don’t go…” I croaked.

“Alright. I’m staying right here,” he said.

For the rest of the afternoon, Urgency simply held me as I cried. He didn’t say “it’s okay” or anything stupid like that. Because he knew it wasn’t okay. He knew I was heartbroken, and he was there for me.

I fell asleep in his arms. When I woke up, the little clock on the wall said it was about three in the morning. Urgency’s arm was still around me, his head leaned back. I wanted to get up, for whatever reason. I just felt like I wanted to get up and run as far away from the diner as possible.

But I didn’t. Instead, I simply snuggled closer to Urgency and closed my eyes, my head resting on his shoulder. A single silent tear streaked down my cheek and landed on his jacket. Kobra Kid. My mind couldn’t focus on anything else, it seemed.

I was close to crying again when Urgency whimpered softly. He twitched, and I pulled back, watching him.

“Terry…I’m sorry…my fault…” he muttered in his sleep. Suddenly he jerked awake, his brown eyes desperately searching the darkness. His face was wet with tears.

“Terry—?!” he gasped.

“I’m right here,” I whispered.

He looked at me with wide eyes and chewed his lip to keep from making sound.

“Come here,” I sighed, wrapping my arms around him. This time, it was he who needed comforting. He cried very softly, resting his head on my chest and gripping my hands.

“I—I thought you were dead,” he stammered.

“I’m okay. I’m not going anywhere soon,” I said softly. Urgency suddenly pulled away and wiped his eyes.

“I’m sorry,” he muttered, “I shouldn’t be doing this. You’re the one who’s really upset.”

“Neither of us are feeling all that great right now,” I said.

“That’s why we need each other,” Urgency murmured. We curled up next to each other again.

“What did you dream about?” I asked him sleepily.

“You. I always have these nightmares…where you’re dead or dying, and I can’t help…it makes me hate myself for being helpless,” he said bitterly.

“You’re not helpless. You saved my life today,” I said. He gave me a puzzled look.

“When?” he asked. I laughed softly.

“You picked me up and carried me out of the building like it was nothing. If you hadn’t, obviously I wouldn’t be here, dumbass,” I teased. He smiled.

“Oh, that…”

There was a long stretch of silence. For a minute, I considered going back to sleep on Urgency’s shoulder, but then he spoke.

“Terry, I know this probably isn’t the best time to tell you this, but…I love you,” he said softly. I closed my eyes.

“That’s what I’ve been afraid of,” I murmured.

“Why?” he said in a small voice.

“Sam, I can’t just get up and go with you. Kobra was my boyfriend, and now he’s dead. And…I…I’m still not entirely sure what my feelings towards you are yet,” I said uncomfortably. He stared at me like I had grown a second head.

“What?” I demanded.

“You…called me Sam,” he said.

“Well, that’s your name, isn’t it?” I said.

“I only told you once, I didn’t think you’d remember. You’ve been calling me Atomic Urgency this whole time. Do you think you’re getting your memory back?” he asked eagerly.

“That’s improbable,” I muttered. He sighed.

“I wish you would get your memory back. Maybe then you’d trust me,” he said.

“I do trust you,” I said quickly. He laughed.

“Terry, a week ago, you wouldn’t stay in the same room with me alone,” he said.

“Well, you did try to kiss me,” I replied. He smiled.

“Sorry about that. I couldn’t control myself,” he chuckled. Then we paused and he stared at me for a while.

“Don’t even think about it,” I said, because I knew he was considering kissing me again. He smiled innocently.

“Think about what?” he asked, and before I could reply, he leaned over and gently pecked me on the cheek.

“Now, that wasn’t so bad, was it?” he smiled.

“Fuck you,” I said. But my smirk betrayed my real feelings.

“Love you too, sugar,” he said, “Now what do you say we get to bed?”

Urgency left me at my bedroom door, telling me that if I needed anything, to just come to him. We said goodnight and I curled up on my small cot. I smiled to myself in the darkness. How was it that Atomic Urgency was able to make me happy when I was so miserable about losing my boyfriend and the other Killjoys?

“You can’t fall for him,” I told myself harshly, “Not that easily, at least.”