Villains Rise

Chapter 28 -- This is where I die

"Where the heck have you been?!" The familiar squeal came from Ash.

I lift my head up to answer her, "A better question, my dear friend, is where haven't I been?" My head droops back over mom's arm.

"Good Lord, she's a goner." Ash mumbles under her breath.

Mom is still carrying me in her arms, so I'm craning my neck to look around at my welcome home party. Dad, Mason, and Ash gather around to help me get to the couch.

I'm not going to lie, I wanted to see Jonas' face amongst them. I knew he had to stay in The Undergrounds. Still, I just want to see him and hug him tight. After all that we've been through, I want to patch things up with him and go back to fighting crime side by side.

I know it's not that simple.

"I'm fine, Ash." I respond dryly. I'm not excited to be here. The promise I made to myself was to stay independent. I can't even do that. I've already had to have help from my mom, and she hasn't used her powers in 12 years.

"Della, you're bleeding." Ash puts her hands on her hips, returning the attitude. I know by comparison she looks better than me, but it seems she's stopped caring about her personal health. Her hair is still tied up in a sloppy bun and perhaps she has changed out of the sweats I saw her in last time, but she's still wearing sweats nonetheless. If anything convinces me more than any other qualities, it's the dark circles under her eyes.

I shrug as mom sets me down on the couch. "You get used to it." I wanted to tell her "it's just a flesh wound" but I knew now was not the time to be quoting movies. Ash is extremely upset with me, I can see it in her eyes. Her bloodshot, tired eyes.

Everyone has evidently been losing sleep over the past few weeks. Is that my fault? Has everyone worried and fretted over me that much? No, there has to be something else weighing on their minds.

"I'll get some bandages." Mason is the first to take action. I realize him leaving the room to get bandages is his way of saying he cares without saying it directly.

Dad saunters over to mom and places his hand on her lower back. The gesture seems to snap mom out of super hero saving mode, and directs her attention to him. "So," dad smiles teasingly, "You made me bring the old super suit... And got into a little trouble?" He chuckles as she purses her lips.

"I was helping our daughter." She can try to deny the fact that she enjoyed being back in the suit all she wants, but we all know better.

Dad smirks, "Whatever the reason, I'm glad you enjoyed getting back out there."

"Okay," Mason barges in the room with a handful of bandaids. Why he didn't just bring the whole first aid kit is beyond my understanding. "I got the bandages." No kidding.

"It's just one cut, Mason." I roll my eyes as I reach out for a bandaid.

"A cut that goes all the way down your arm." Ash scoffs.

I look down at my arm as I strategically place the bandaids over the wound. "It'll make a nice scar." She stares at me with a burning anger behind her eyes. Perhaps I should be freaking out a tad more than I am at the moment.

Mom has evidently had enough of our antics. She snaps her fingers together just as Ash is about to make another remark. Apparently, there's only room for one mother figure in this household. "What did you find out in The Undergrounds?"

My brain reaches back to just a few minutes ago. How do I explain all that I saw? I'm not really sure what I saw. Who is Perception? Is Owen really a villain? Who captured Jonas?