Magnificently Malcontent

Chapter 10

JJ's arm jerked back almost immediately after Henrik started applying a salve to his burn. They hadn't noticed it at the time, but Marvin's fire had definitely left its mark on him. Henrik gingerly brought his little brother's arm back in front of him and continued to treat the wound. Henrik kept his eyes downcast and focused on the task at hand. He may not have been able to prevent injury, but he could damn well treat the ones that had occured.

Jackie and Chase sat in two different corners of Henrik's room. They had all headed straight there as soon as they arrived back at the house. Jackie and Chase chose their respective seats and stayed like that for the entire time they had been there. None of them had uttered a word, and all of them were too afraid to be the first one to break the silence.

Henrik walked over next to Chase where the bandages were stored. As soon as he laid a hand on one of the rolls, Chase's hand was on top of his. Henrik looked up at the man who was still staring at the floor. "We have to stop them- I mean him. W-we have to stop Anti." Chase choked out. His hand fell limply back to his side.

Henrik wanted desperately to help his younger brothers. They were all hurting, but it was in a way that he couldn't heal. All of his medical training was useless in the face of this trauma. If he was honest with himself, he was hurting too. What he saw...

He shook the thought away. Heal the burn. Heal the family. Focus on the task at hand. There would be time later to think about everything else. He grabbed the bandages and walked back to JJ. "Zhis should heal in about 2 veeks. Reapply zhe ointment in zhe morning and before bed." Henrik spoke quietly. JJ nodded and launched himself out of his seat to latch onto the doctor.

Henrik stood frozen until he heard soft sniffles coming from his chest. He raised his hand to smooth the hair on JJ's head. Henrik was never one for sentiment, but seeing his brothers so broken at the hands of the people he had once loved brought tears to his eyes. He had never felt so lost.

Jackie suddenly got up out of his chair and started marching toward the door. "Und vhere do you zhink you are going?" Henrik stared down the hero while still keeping JJ close to him.

Jackie stopped in the doorway, not looking back. "I'm gonna go kill Antisepticeye." He tried to leave again, but Chase's hand on his arm stopped him. Jackie looked into his pleading eyes, "I have to. He keeps hurting everyone! And now he has Marv on his side. How can I keep calling myself a hero, when I can't even keep my own family safe from those villains?" Jackie was practically screaming.

JJ pulled back from Henrik and glared at Jackie. "Do not call Marvin a villain. Don't ever call him that. We can still save him." he signed so fast that Jackie almost didn't catch it.

They all looked at JJ with pity. He could tell that there was something they weren't telling him. Chase was the first to speak up, "Jameson... I don't know how much of Marvin there is left to save. He took each of us out of commission using what we care about most. He almost incinerated you! I think... I think Marvin is gone. I'm not saying we should kill them," Chase threw Jackie a pointed look and then returned his tired gaze to JJ, "but we have to stop the both of them at all costs."

JJ screwed his eyes shut and balled up his fists. How could they just give up on their own brother? He glared at all three of them as he backed away. He shakily signed, "No, no, you didn't see what I saw. He's still in there. He has to be. He's still in there. He's still in there." JJ continued to sign the same phrase over and over again until Chase walked to him and grabbed his hands.

"I know that this is hard to accept, but think about it. We barely escaped with our lives. Marvin was the one trying to kill us when Anti only order him to capture you. We have to face facts. Our Marvin isn't coming back." JJ nearly collapsed to the ground in sobbing mess, but Chase caught him in time.