Vigilante (Under Construction! Please Excuse the Dust!)

Chapter 14: savannah and the dog.

Rain Maker:       

        Merrill and Vivika looked over Giliana, their backs forming a wall between the bench and myself.

        "A side effect of Sunny's healing," Merrill said, speaking to herself. "Drowsiness, impaired judgement, unusual dreams..."

        She continued rambling off medical terminology, few words loud enough for me to hear. Suddenly, she was everywhere at once, grabbing things from drawers and cabinets. Vivika stayed by the table, motionless. Her stillness was a stark contrast to Merrill's manic.

        In the midst of Giliana's abrupt consciousness, I had darted forward, but found myself stuck midstep, glued to the floor. I didn't have anyway to aid Merrill, but my body reacted before I put any thought into it. It was a very human reaction; one that Vivika and I shared at that moment.

        Cemented to where we stood without anyway to assist the doctor or the girl.

        There was a surreal moment where I felt a kinship to the Shapeshifter. We were both so powerful, but no matter our strength, we couldn't help someone who needed it. We couldn't do what Merrill or Sunny could and that fact stabbed at my heart, twisting like a knife.

        If I had been the one to show up in Outer City instead of Charm and Sunny, Giliana would have died, right there on the street.

        My pride horribly wounded, I bit my bottom lip, backing away until I slammed into the door. The jolt shook memories loose in my head, flashes of smoke and blinding light.

        My lungs seized in my chest and my hands were suddenly trembling. They scrambled for the doorknob and I tore out of the room, tripping over myself as I did. A shoulder connected with my own as I flew down the hall, earning me a sharp yell from Dawnwalker. A specific face filled up my head and I pressed the heels of my palms into my eyes in an attempt to will the image away.

        "I-I can't-," I slapped my hands on my head, tearing my mask away and scrubbing my eyes. The floor tipped away from me. I stumbled away from Dawn, distraught as my head filled up with faces and the sound of snapping lighting.

        "Charlie, stop," Dawn said, grabbing my shoulders to keep me upright. "Stop it. It's not real. You're fine. Charlie, you are fine. Calm down, you're having a fit."

        I was what? Dawn seemed so far away even when I could reach out and touch her.

        "Focus on me," she commanded, ripping my hands from my face. "Talon, look at me!" A sharp, biting slap crossed my cheek and I reeled, but Dawn held me in place. Another angry blow struck me, then I was staring at her silver eyes.

        "You are okay, Charlie," she said, emphasizing every word. "What's in your head is not real. You're here, in the base; not there, okay?"

        I was nodding, realizing what had just happened. I had had an attack and Dawn brought me back to reality by hitting me in the face. I shut back those memories, leaning against the wall. It was difficult to bear with my thoughts always reminding me of what happened, but having my team-no, my family- would keep me sane.

        At least for now.

        "Yeah, I'm here," I echoed. "I'm here."

---

Dawnwalker:

        It was Savannah or, at least, the memory of her. It had to be because nothing else drove Charlie so close to madness than the guilt he felt. He still blamed himself for what happened to her; Savannah's death. Even with the help of many a Telepath to repress that day, it still found a way to claw at him from the deep recesses of his consciousness.