The White Wraith

Chapter 20: United

Madison's POV

I exited the zeta tube and growled. Were they really that stupid!?

I thought, back in the jungle, after I had that embarrassment of an outburst, they would see how mean and illogical they were being!

But obviously, they can't even keep it together after one person keeps a secret from them! I mean, aren't people allowed to have their own secrets, or does all privacy get taken away!?

It was infuriating! How they could turn on Kaldur so fast? And he barely even defended himself!

If they were mad about Kaldur for not trusting them, they sure decided not to trust him real fast! Hypocrites!

I saw a plastic cup of soda on the ground and snatched it up. Just like my team, nobody in Metropolis has any respect! Any!

I threw it into a trash can before kicking the can. Stupid litterers.

I snapped my fingers and turned invisible, running through the streets until I reached Clark's apartment. Clark was either at work or with the League and Lois was probably at work or investigating something somewhere.

I marched into my room and slammed the door, throwing off my suit and putting on my civies. I just needed to breathe. Go be a normal person for a little while.

I left the apartment and started walking down the streets, looking for something to catch my eye.

Now that I was thinking over things, I shouldn't have overreacted so much. Telling them that I quit the team was a mistake, because I obviously don't want to quit.

But I'm so tired of them being ridiculous with each other! Why do they always turn on each other!?

I saw the Metropolis cemetery ahead and turned left, walking through the beautifully decorated metal gates and heading toward three familiar graves.

I knelt down in front of Johnny's small gravestone, which was nestled between mom and dad's.

If only I had keep my mouth shut that night. I wouldn't have swallowed that stupid blue rock and they wouldn't have sped through Metropolis to get to the hospital.

They wouldn't have died.

I wouldn't have had to live my life focused and overworked, trying to become a superhero. I wouldn't have been so alone.

And I just found a new family too! Everything was perfect... It had been so perfect...

If I hadn't of caused an outburst, maybe Kaldur would have found his voice and they wouldn't have tried to elect a new leader. If I just kept my mouth shut.

It always seemed to be me that teared everyone apart. It was my fault that the family died and it would be my fault that the team disbanded.

It would be my fault that I would have to live the rest of my life alone. Again.

I snapped my fingers. Three humaniod figures appeared in front of me, smiling. Just the way I remembered them.

I held back a sob, wishing that they really were here and I could just reach out and touch them. A poke. That was all I wanted.

Just to feel a brush of fabric and nothing more. I would take anything. But when I reached my hand up to Johnny's face, my hand simply fell through the illusion.

They were gone. They would always be gone.

I broke, letting the tears fall down my face like a waterfall. Tears that had long been pushed back into the depths of my mind, hiding and attempting to stay hidden forever.