Free-Fall: Vigilante Tommyinnit AU

《CHAPTER FORTY-THREE》

Tommy POV-

I wondered for a while, why Kristen didn't come back home, since she seemed alive and well. My memories of her weren't the best- they were brief and short. I saw her often, when I was being used as some sort of science experiment, but never exchanged any words. There were times where I assumed it wasn't really her, just someone who looked like her. And yet, the memory of her hunched over my cell door remains fresh in my mind. The night I was set free.  

I try to switch the story around, mainly for myself. I don't like to remember things like this for how they really are. It's a bit of a problem. Kristen left the door open on purpose, and what seemed so little, became something so great. 

I don't like to think about it though. Thinking about it hurts. It's hard, looking back on memories like this. 

George got his powers- and he's no where to be found. Not in the Hero Tower, not working, not patrolling. Literally just gone somewhere. I wonder what will happen now. With everything being the mess that it is. 

I haven't been couching up any blood, which is a good sign. The burning in my lungs has also decreased. Every now and then I feel like i'm suffocating though, a new side-affect. Every now and then while i'm pacing the room, my knees will go still, and I won't be able to feel them for a while. Temporarily stagnant. It's gotten better though, and it's yet to happen during something important, so I'm entirely grateful for that.

I didn't realize I still had a few symptoms. I thought it was just the blood. 

Wilbur comes into the room, fist bandaged. "Welcome to my apartment away from, well, everyone", he gestures vaguely. He set's down a mug of hot chocolate.  "You should drink some of that, it'll help with the nerves", I nodded slowly, taking the drink and blowing on it. "Good quality hot chocolate made with a high percentage of cacao means that it is high in magnesium which is an important mineral for the nervous system. Can be helpful for relieving mental and physical tension, and boosting your energy levels", Wilbur rambled a little, "You know a lot about hot chocolate", I snorted. He laughed, "I guess so. It's one of those random things that I remember", he said absentmindedly. He sat down next to me, "I knew it was you", he said gently, "when you came in for that interview. I could recognize you immediately",  he clarified after a moment of silence. "I- well, I tried my best to make it obvious, that I was the Vigilante, Jester", "no, not that, that isn't what i'm talking about", Wilbur shook his head. "I knew you were Tommy", he looked me in the eyes, "I'd know it was you if I were blind", and he sounded so sure of himself it made my heart ache.  "If you were blind?", I laughed, but there was no real humor behind it, he closed his eyes and leaned his head back, "I don't know what it is, maybe it's the biological relation, maybe it's the everlasting regret I hold for pushing you away", he whispered, "I knew it was you when I saw your eyes, your face. When I heard your voice too. You sound older, but that's to be expected. There's something that's never really changed though", "what?", I asked, hesitantly, I felt as though I were in a dream, that I would wake up at any moment. He put his hand on my head and stared at me for a while, "you have this smile, and this sounds so goddamned sappy  but your smile has never changed. And everyone will tell me i'm crazy. And there is probably some truth to that, but I know that smile. It's engraved into my head, Tommy. I was convinced it was just something i'd never see again, but then you just came waltzing in", he groaned, pulling his hand back and burying his face in his hands, seeming frustrated. He got back up and disappeared into another room, coming back quickly. A small wooden frame in hand, and his phone in the other. He was scrolling on his phone before showing me the screen. A very recent photo of me, staring at my phone grinning at something. Then he showed me the picture frame. 

It was dusty, and looked as though it were ready to crumble in his hand. I wanted to rip my heart out at the sight of a pale child, grinning, and tugging at a yellow sweater. I knew it was me and Wilbur in the frame, but all that could be seen was the peak of his smile and brown hair. My face, though, was clear and bright. The same smile that I was wearing in the photo Wilbur showed me on his phone. And oh god, it was so similar.  "I can't get it out of my head. I've seen so many things that are so damn haunting- people dying, people being killed in front of me, so many of my failures, but you lingered in my head more,  I think you will forever. You'll always be the baby brother I horribly abandoned, whom I left to fend for himself", he said, voice scarce and sorrow evident in his tone. But his eyes glinted with acceptance, thankfulness. "But i'm glad your here, in front of me, you know", He sat back down, the frame still in hand. his fingers squeezing it like he was afraid to loosen his grip on his. "You can resent me, too. I'll never hold that against you. I know you'll never forgive me, but i'll never ask you too- i'll never ask you to forgive me. You being alive is more than I could ever ask for", I didn't know what to say to that. I felt tears blurring my eyesight and I looked away. Wilbur wrapped an arm around me but his eye's remained on the picture frame in his hands. He didn't mention me crying, and I was grateful for that.

Minx POV- 

I thought about Schlatt, and Puffy, and Niki. I thought about a lot of things. I don't really want anything besides Dream dead. That might be a little frowned upon though. Ever since I found out from Big Q that he and XD were the same person, i've been restless. I want him dead- whether he's trying to make "amends" or whatever, I do not care. Why should I care? He didn't care when he was throwing around threats and ruining innocent lives and abusing his power. He didn't care then. He shouldn't care now, just because he's been put in a poor position. People like him, it's people like him that don't deserve to be called human. What else has he done and covered up? What else has he gotten away with? How many more people will have there lives ruined if he sticks around? Ha- to hell with it all. To hell with Dream, and the people defending him.

Puffy, I hope you regret defending him now. I hope you feel just as hopeless as I did when you ignored my warnings. When you pushed me away and called me selfish for defending the innocent. For defending your  brother.

It's too bad Schlatt isn't here. Despite what people said, he was a man with morals. He rarely used his own powers. Even he didn't abuse the gift he had. He wouldn't dare cheat death, and revive someone for his own benefit. He wouldn't do anything without any good reason.

"what's better? Acting with bad reason or with no reason? Acting carelessly costs lives, right? But doesn't it cost more when your purposely risking lives as long as it's not your own? "

That was the last thing I ever heard from him, all because of Dream wrongly imprisoning him.

Seeing him in a hospital bed was the last thing I expected, with George beside him too. I stared at the dagger in my hands. 

I contemplated whether I should kill them both, or would that be too brutal?

"what are you doing here?", someone asked

Their voice wasn't alarmed, but steady and expecting. I turned around, staring at the person who stood behind me, leaning in the doorway. A man in a Christmas hat. "You know it's April right?", he laughed quietly, "yeah", he replied, I could feel his eyes move from me to the dagger in hand, despite his sunglasses. "Either...", he started, "you've come to kill Dream, or to help him. Which is it?", "why would I be standing over him with this?", I asked, holding up my weapon. The man shrugged, "could have come to try and kill me, I don't keep track of the people who do". Who was this guy? He didn't seem to be against me in any way. He really did seem curious of what I was going to do. As if he didn't care what happened to Dream.

I figured he didn't, based on his demeanor. 

"I've come to kill him", I said, after a long moment of silence. He didn't seem like he wanted to stop me. He nodded, "Carry on", he turned around, and was making his way out the door. I stood, puzzled. Before turning back to look at Dream and George. I waited a moment, waiting to see if George would wake up from his slumber, or if someone would walk in to stop me, but there was nothing stopping me.