Elemental Outbreak

CH 23. What Burns Will Shine.

Trigger warning for Drug Abuse and a multitude of other things.

~Talia's POV, Moments after the group left~

I looked out the balcony as I could see the distant headlights from the car drive off and head into the city, "fuck I hope they'll be okay" Jasmine said as she was standing next to me, "I hope so to but it's probably better if we don't worry we'll just end up making ourselves feel worse" I told her, she sighed "yeah I guess you're right, you know I don't think of you any differently because you killed someone" she said I was confused.

"What made you think of that?" I asked her, "well I want to keep my mind off things and I felt like you've been off since you told us" she replied, I nodded. "I just wanted to keep my problems hidden, it didn't seem fair to say since we lost Bryson, Yazmin and now Zen" I said, "well we're getting Yazmin back, and it doesn't matter we're family your problems are our problems" she said I sighed, "I'm just not used to it I guess, I usually tend to keep what's bothering me to myself" I told her.

"Really? You seem to be really expressive" she said chuckling, I laughed a little, "I mean sure but there's still a lot I rather not say, but anyways thank you I just wish it wouldn't have came to that" I said as I stared out into the city, "well there's no changing the past now all there is, is to accept it" she said patting my shoulder and walking inside. I shook my head that's never really been me, I just always ignored whatever was bothering me and moved forward.

I continued to stare out at the city, "I wonder what would've happened if we didn't figure him out sooner" I asked myself, I still can't believe that he did all this, he's caused us much pain, and he thinks of it as a joke. "Fuck" I said as I turned around and walked over to the pool and sat down sticking my legs in. I stared at the water and swished my legs around, "I wish things could've been different" I said.

~Talia's POV, Fifteen Years Ago~

"Did you run the numbers again?" I heard my dad say to someone on the phone, it was a work at home night for him. "Okay well I can't have this one fail so double check and let me or Veronica know, alright bye" he said sighing and putting his phone down. "Are you okay dad?" I asked him walking up to the table.

"Huh, oh yes Tali it's just work" he said I ushered for him to pick me up, he chuckled, "do you really want to know what I'm working on?" He asked, I quickly nodded, "god I'm so proud of you, but me and your mom are trying to make a energy source that could theoretically power a two story house for years on end without change or charge but it's just not working" he said honestly I didn't completely understand at the time, I was just super interested because the work made my mom and dad seem like super important people, trying to change the world and all.

~One Week Later~

But just like most things it's not all good I guess, there's some days both them seemed to be so defeated. "Barry I just don't see how we can, solar doesn't work, obviously nuclear is not the best option because of the global repercussions, I just think this a dead end baby" my mom said to my dad, he huffed out, "it can't be we put so much time into this! Dammit, what are we supposed to do? Work with the Colbert's on there stupid all day deodorant bullshit?!" My dad continued, I did realize a few things not everyone at Elementol were important, some people did smaller projects, apparently someone was on the verge of making a cure to serious diseases but I wasn't sure at the time.

I was out of sight so I was out of mind, for a bit longer they kept going back and forth not really arguing just talking about the same thing, but not once mentioning me not that it was a bad thing but they didn't care to hide anything. I looked and saw my dad pour a brown drink in his glass, I would see him drink that a lot I was starting to curious. He would also seem more cheerful and clumsy after drinking it.