Rehabilitation

89

Rachel and the others got drunk while me and Nathan stayed in the booth. We decided to go over to the others to see how they were getting on. We stood up and walked to the other side of the bar. I was still smiling at Nathan when I saw some commotion in the corner of my eye. Curtis and Kelly were stood in front of us. My smile dropped when I saw what was happening.

It was Rachel and her face was contorted into an angry expression and she was holding a knife. Nathan's arm gripped my waist tighter. To Rachel's left a door opened and Alisha and Simon came out, smiles on their faces.

There was no time to react, no time for any of us to say or do anything before Rachel lifted up the knife and slashed it through the air. Rachel evaporated, completely disappeared. She'd done what she needed to do. Fulfilled it. She'd gotten her revenge. On us.

I looked back to Alisha and Simon. Alisha was clutching her throat. Blood was oozing over her hands and down her arms. She collapsed into Simons arms.

"Alisha, no," Simon sobbed.

I raced towards them and placed my hands against her throat. She was shaking beneath my palms. I didn't think I was breathing, my heart was hammering in my chest as I waited.

"Get an ambulance!" Simon wailed, "No..."

Simon held Alisha's face as her eyes fluttered closed. She stopped shaking. Simon continued to hold her as she slumped onto the floor. My eyes filled with tears and Nathan gently pulled me away. My blood covered hands dropped from her neck. I pushed on Nathan slightly trying to get him to let go, "Let go," I cried, "I can...I can save her..." 

Her voice played over in my head. You can't save everyone. I'd known that but I thought the six of us wouldn't need saving. I thought we would always be fine.

Nathan pulled on me again and I stopped fighting. He pulled me to me feet and away from Alisha and Simon. He moved so he was in front of me and wrapped his arms around me. I pressed my head into his chest. I was glad that I couldn't see Alisha's body anymore. He stroked the back of my head as I cried into him. My power had failed. I'd failed. Again.

"This is where I go back," Simon said. I pushed off Nathan slightly to look at Simon, "It all has to happen exactly as it happened."

"But if you do you'll die," I sniffed, tears still streaming down my face. Alisha had always been worried Simon would leave, neither of us thought he would. But now this had happened it all made sense.

"But if I don't she'll die," Simon said, "You'll all die." I could tell on his face that he'd made up his mind.

"What are you talking about?" Kelly asked.

Simon let go of Alisha, laying her softly on the floor before he stood. He faced me and the others and took a deep breath before saying, "It was me. I was the guy in the mask."

"But-But you were there when...when he was there..." Curtis said.

"At the start it was my future self. He died..." His voice was shaky as he spoke, "and I became him."

I grabbed onto Nathan again, burying my head in his chest. This couldn't be happening. We'd lost Alisha and now we were losing Simon.

"I'm going to need some new powers," Simon said.

"That guy, in the estate, he deals powers." Curtis said. He dealt Alisha's power.

"I'll go," Simon said, "I'll be back soon."

~~~

Simon came back an hour later. I hadn't detached myself from Nathan. We'd been sitting in a booth waiting. None of us said a word. I could feel the blood on my hands, hot and sticky as it dried over my skin. I wanted it off but I couldn't bring myself to move.

I flinched when Nathan reached for my hands, I didn't want to get blood all over him too. But he continued to grab my hands. He cupped them in his and I rested me head on his shoulder. I was still crying silently, the tears never ended as they cascaded down my face.

"Did you get it?" Curtis asked Simon when he walked back into the bar.

Simon nodded.

"Simon," I said, pulling away from Nathan and standing up, "You could touch her. Her power didn't work on you."

"The immunity to other peoples powers," Simon said, "I got it."

It was all starting to make sense, all of it. Why future Simon could touch Alisha. Why he had been so mysterious and made Alisha keep him a secret. Future Simon had known what would happen this whole time, he'd been with Alisha knowing that they would both die.

"So, you're really going?" I asked. I couldn't handle another loss.

Simon nodded, "I have to."

My eyes were filled with tears as I stepped closer to Simon and pulled him into a hug.

"I'm going to miss you," I whispered as he hugged me tighter. The others stood up to say goodbye too. I didn't want to let go of him, I just wanted him to stay. I reluctantly pulled myself away and gave Simon a small smile.

"Just go back and make Alisha fall in love with you all over again," Kelly told him, "Promise me, yeah?"

He nodded and then looked at Nathan. He held out his hand for Nathan to shake. Nathan looked between Simon and his hand before grabbing him and hugging him.

"I'm gonna miss you, you little freak," Nathan cried and rustled Simons hair with his hand. Simon grinned at him as he pulled away.  

When Simon had said goodbye to each of us he said, "I'll see you soon."

I grabbed onto Nathan again as Simon stepped away from us. He turned and disappeared. He was gone. We'd never see him again. He was going back to save her, to save us. He was going to die while doing it.