Memory Lane

Chapter 40: Survivor's Guilt

Performed songs:
Mentioned songs: Freedom '90 by George Michael
Inspired songs: I Kissed a Girl by Katy Perry

Jared was having a conversation with Miguel and Falcon, arguing about the merits of different tactics of stunning people.

It felt normal. It should be normal. But nothing was normal when they were in the hospital room and there was a goddamn heart monitor beeping in the background.

"No, no. The pressure point is the best way to stun," Jared argued.

"No way, you can also paralyze and kill with it," Miguel argued back.

"I say you guys are being doofuses and that there's no best way to stun. And you're just wiping it in my face that I had no idea what to do to stun the dude," Falcon grumbled, crossing her arms and pouting.

"You could have done the clap stun and then hit his carotid, which would instantly knock him out," Jared said.

"Yeah, that's so easy to do. He totally didn't have a gun," Falcon responded sarcastically.

"I mean, you did learn the clap stun before, right?" Miguel asked, before Falcon screwed up her face and turned sheepish. "... something tells me you ignored my advice to learn it."

"I was overconfident," Falcon whined. "I also depended too much on the illusion of getting away."

"Yeah, I know you're a pacifist, but you're assuming that your tricks work on everybody."

"I know, pride goeth before the fall," Falcon muttered.

"Yes, but..." Jared started, "there are many things you fell from already. How many more will happen to you before you... y'know, actually wise up?"

"Every failure has a lesson," Falcon said simply, but from her tone it already signaled to Miguel and Jared that she was only human, and humans never learned. And funnily enough, they agreed. Because if Falcon were to ever stop failing, then this world was not as thorough in its lesson of life.

One must learn the consequences of losing things over and over until they finally learn.

But they don't.

"Falcon!" Valerie cried, as all of them looked up to see Melissa trotting in with Valerie, Grant and Izzy. Valerie all but ran to Falcon, enough for Jared and Miguel to share a smirk and a knowing expression. Falcon, however, turned beet red at the smirks but reluctantly allowed Valerie to climb into the bed with her and snuggle with her.

Again, Jared and Miguel had never seen this before. Well, maybe with one person... for one day...

Their evil smiles grew wider.

Falcon helplessly made a face at the detective, who raised her eyebrows innocently.

"Hey, there, Val," Falcon smiled, shifting a little to accomodate more space for Valerie, but frowning when Valerie laid her head on her chest in response, over her heart. "Uh... did something happen?"

"I missed you."

"Do you two need a moment?" Jared teased, but Miguel flicked him in the arm. "Ow!"

"Not appropriate!" he hissed, but had a shit eating grin.

"Did someone hurt you?" Something twisted in Falcon's expression, something very, very dark. "Anyone say anything?"

"No."

"If this was an Omegaverse, I'm calling it right here and right now, Falcon is an Alpha and no one can tell me otherwise," Izzy sniggered in the background. She expected no one else to get it, but to her surprise Grant barked out a laugh and nudged her slightly.