Dummies' Guide to Being a Superhero (Editing)

{Bonus Chapter #5} The Girl Who Found The Stars

[a/n: this is the second part of Bonus chapter #2 (The Girl Who Sees The Stars). This is a really short chapter but it's very much needed so I'm just gonna drop this here like nothing. Enjoy ~~]

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{BONUS CHAPTER #5: "The Girl Who Found The Stars"

summary: Gretal had seen the stars of her past. Now it's time to find them. 

• • • •

GRETAL KNOWS A TRIP DOWN memory lane probably isn't the best thing to do right now, but for the sake of the people she cared about, she's back in her mom's place, in her room with Gabe and Alec. They've been searching for thirty-seven minutes, finding nothing but papers and junk from Gretal's years in high school. (Half of the time those papers were tests and quizzes that she one-hundred-percent failed and, of course, Gabe has to comment on every single one of them.)

"What are you looking for, anyways?" Alec says as he helps Gretal take out a few boxes from her closet.

She looks down at the smaller boy, handing him another box. "This old messenger bag I had in middle school. It has a lot of superhero buttons and stupid drawings on it. And it also has some valuable stuff on it that I want to take with me back to the warehouse. Before my mom goes searching and gives it away at a yard sale."

Alec nodded. "It must be really important to you if you're looking for it now."

She wonders if Alec actually meant it as a burn, but when she sees his innocent face and blue eyes staring up at her with reassurance she quickly erases that thought from her mind. "Yeah, it is."

• • • •

They finally find it. Well, Alec finds it. And Gabe tells her just as much. She states at the bag in front of her, recognizing the old buttons on the fabric and the doodles that were fading away from her dream. She took a breath.

"Well," Gabe said, raising his eyebrows, "you gonna open it or what?"

Alec shushed him, giving Gretal another reassuring smile. She silently thank Alec's mother for bringing her fucking adorable son into this world - without him who would keep Gabe in control?

She slowly opens the bag and peeks inside, the boys following her lead.

"Oh. It's just a bunch of books." Gabe says with pout.

Alec jabs his elbow into his arm. "They're probably really important." He looks at her. "Right, Gretal?"

She nods, her fingers catching at the pages of the Wonder Woman comic book below her. "A man, named Marty Ruebeck, he gave me this for my birthday. I was so happy. Ever since I met him at the bookstore that he used to own, I've only saw him as a father. And if he was still here m, I'd probably still would."

"Oh." Alec mumbles. "He's-"

"Dead." Gabe finishes, his voice barely above a whisper. He looks up at her, clenching his fists. "I'm really sorry, Gretal, I didn't mean the things I said-

She shakes her head, smiling. "It's fine. You didn't know."

Gretal slowly a flips the pages of the book, landing on the back. She takes a deep breath as she reads over the cursive writing.

"How did he die?" Gabe mumbles.

"A car accident. He didn't deserve it. But, he's in an better place now. Right?"

Gabe and Alec nod, only complying since tears were running down her face. They knew she didn't realize as she slipped out a red mask, smiling.

"Y'know, Gabe, I had a hero too."