The Undoing Of Villains | ✓

thirty five

(a/n: approaching the end of this book now ... well, the end of this world too (climate change is real y'all) but let's not get into that haha. enjoy :) dedicated to Nonamesz360 for the lovely votes you leave <3) 

thirty five

THE DOCTOR cleared me. Said I would be fine if I rested and didn't engage in any strenuous activity for at least two weeks, but all of the Doc's scans told her that I was physically fine. I briefly wondered how Sawyer and Python had managed to explain my injuries to the hospital, but Sawyer waved it off, only telling me the hospital was in Python's pockets. He didn't elaborate; I didn't question it. I chose to be happy I'd walked away from that fight, alive and relatively well – my powers swirled in the background, I could feel them, but I didn't dare use them. At least not yet, not until I was certain using them wouldn't kill me. For now, Synapse would sit on the bench while Charlie manned the field.

Sawyer returned with a change of clothes and a pack of snacks, urging me to eat. He dropped a bag off by my bed, then met my look. 

"The doctor briefed me. We're clear to discharge you in a few hours, and then you can come home." He smiled, "Assuming you'll want that, of course." 

I nodded, unclasped my hands in my grasp and matched his smile, "Of course. I just want to .. get back to normal, I guess." Memories breezed past in my mind, of me vaulting across rooftops, me bursting through a ship's hull, fighting villains in large water tankers – yes, I would take some time off. 

"We'll talk more later about ... all that not-normal stuff." Sawyer said, opening the bag of snacks only to crunch down on a cookie, "- here, take one." 

I did, swallowing it with water. It tasted divine, even if it was probably just another stale supermarket cookie pack. 

"For now, though –" Mid-sentence, the door burst open, and in rushed two new occupants. Both were on the taller side, physically similar to Sawyer, and on their faces were two nervous smiles. My eyes filled as I watched my brothers nearly leap across the room, hugging me at the same time. I was squished between them, pain erupting hotly, but mellowed by the love I felt as my family was present. 

"Charlie." said Austin, pushing his glasses into his hair as his own blue eyes had teared up, turning milky. There was a splatter of paint on the sleeve of his white shirt, ever the artist, "We're happy you made it. So happy. It was hell – sitting by your bedside these months. You're a goddamn fighter, Charlie." 

Connor pulled back, ruffling my hair with his hands. He'd been the second one to leave the family, and last I knew lived with his boyfriend in Grove Point. Austin had lived with him for a while when he left, exploring Grove Point's more artistic sides, before moving out to attend an art school on the outskirts of said city. 

They'd all come to see me. Their sister. My family, I thought, attempting to push the tears away from falling. Now was the time to rejoice, to be happy – we'd pulled through. I had pushed Tetra to the back of my mind, eager to further discuss that mess with Sawyer, but for now the O'Hares were here, and that was enough. 

"You know, you could've texted more than once. Or called, at least." Connor chastised, then reached for a cookie himself, " – the first sign of life we get from you is Sawyer calling us to let us know you're in a coma. I dropped the damn phone, Charlie." He shook his head.