Different [A Superhero AU] - Book One

Chapter Fifty-Four - The Greatest Loss

Jack wakes up screaming and despite the shocks that course through his body, he can't stop. He's in his own bed, in his own room, but it feels like a dungeon. The machine by his bed delivers relentless shocks, and while Jack wishes they would stop, he can't bring himself to tug the wires off.

His cries only end when he runs out of breath, his throat raw and his body exhausted from the electricity. He yanks the wires off and stumbles out of bed, sweating and shaking as he vomits into the nearest garbage can.

He doesn't remember how he got back, but he figures it was Cry because he was the only other villain left on the battlefield.  He must have grabbed his eyepatch as well, because the white cloth is sitting on his side table with a repaired strap.

Jack pulls himself to his feet and grabs the eyepatch, approaching the mirror. Seeing his reflection without a covering is strange, and the Irishman has to stare in order to get himself used to his face again. The eye that had once held the window to Anti is now clouded over, completely blind. The monster is still inside him, of course, but at least his power is gone. He ties the eyepatch on again, its purpose very much different now.

A knock sounds at his door and the Irishman glances over, watching as Matthew enters slowly. His hair is messy and sticking up at odd angles, his bloodshot eyes rimmed with red. He resembles Jack in that way; both of them are grieving more than they ever have before.

"Uh, the boss..." Matthew begins. He coughs a little to clear the emotion from his throat. "The boss wants to talk to the three of us."

Jack nods and follows him out, wiping the tears and sweat off of his face. Matthew glances over at him and exhales shakily, putting one arm around the Irishman. No words need to be spoken. The comforting gesture is enough.

When they reach his office, the boss sits behind his desk with his hands folded. Matthew and Jack take their spot beside Cry, who stands in front of his father with crossed arms.

"I have never been more proud of you three," the boss says, a light smile on his face. "Especially you, Seán. Releasing Anti was the reason we've won."

Jack stares at the floor, fighting to keep himself from crying again. Matt, Dan, Stephanie, Bob, Danny, Ken, Marzia, Mark...he can almost feel their ghosts in the room. The boss says they've won, but to Jack it feels like they've lost more than they've gained.

"It is a shame that we've lost Daniel and Stephanie, but now we have an opportunity to become stronger," the boss says. "Now, I realize that you are all feeling sad today, so you may have a break."

"Sad?" Cry asks, glaring at his father. "We're feeling sad? Are you serious?! Try devastated! Try heartbroken! We've lost two members of our family in a week! What the hell is wrong with you?!"

The boss stares back, his grey eyes cold as steel. Jack realizes that Cry has his father's eyes, but his facial structure is different. He must have his mother's face. Cry takes a deep breath and turns, storming out of the office. After a moment of hesitance, Matthew and Jack follow.

As soon as he's out of the office, the Irishman's mind returns to the dark place it was in earlier. He is directly linked to all of the deaths that have affected the heroes, the antiheroes, and the villains. He can't stop seeing these people in unconventional places. Anything orange reminds him of Dan and the flames he controlled; a simple stop sign reminds him of Mark's hair. He can't help but feel bad about the people he didn't really know, like Bob, Danny, Marzia, and Ken. They had teammates and loved ones and aspirations just like him, and because of him they're gone.

He reaches his room and curls up on his bed, letting himself sob. Cries and wails come from nearby rooms, where Matthew and Cry mourn on their own. More than anything, Jack wants to be with Mark. He remembers vividly the soft words mumbled in dark rooms, the feeling of peace when the hero was pressed against his side. He desperately yearns for Mark's comfort, for the hero to tell him he loves him and forgives him, and knowing that he'll never get that again makes him feel like he's crumbling apart.

Jack never thought that anyone would love him. Between the freaky mutation, the powers, and the beast inside, he figured the only people who would care for him would be the other villains. When Mark came along and loved him unconditionally, he flipped the Irishman's world upside-down.

Now he's gone, and Jack has returned to his previous state of mind. Nobody will ever love him again.