Argent Eye IV

45

-- Millie's P.O.V --

I opened my eyes, only to see that Penelope was about to throw a punch at my face. I gasped, feeling panicked and a little confused at the situation I suddenly seemed to have found myself in.

"Wait!" I yelled, hoping I wouldn't have to take a punch from an earth Argent. I knew from experience the damage they could cause.

Penelope loosened her grip a little from my shirt, but she didn't let go. "Millie?" She asked, clearly wanting to be absolutely certain that it was me and not Haydn.

"It's me, it's me!" I exclaimed, unsure what I could do to prove it was me. I just looked at her, assuming my eyes had been black before, and then after a moment, Penelope let go.

She then slumped backwards onto the floor, and sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Jesus, Millie." She muttered.

I sat up, wondering what I'd missed exactly, before noticing Stark laying flat on the ground. Guilt started to creep up on me in waves, as I realise what had happened. Tina was also leaning against the wall- she was awake, but looked like she were in a lot of pain.

"Oh, fuck." I muttered, and immediately ran over to Stark. Penelope was right behind me. I leaned down to Stark, not really sure what to do. Tears began to sting the back of my eyes- I did this to them.

Shit, shit, shit.

"He'll be alright." Penelope said. "Go and see if Tina is okay."

I nodded, and then ran to Tina.

"Shit, Tina, I'm so sorry." I said, trying hard not to cry. I knew my eyes had reddened, though, and at some point, I'd have to let out the tears. But for now, I had to know that Stark and Tina would be okay.

"It's okay." Tina grimaced. She wasn't moving, though.

"What's wrong?" I asked. "Can't you move?"

"Give me a minute." She said through her clenched teeth. "I need time to heal."

I just nodded again, and turned to look back at Stark. He was still laying on the floor.

"Millie, come here a sec." Penelope said.

I did as she said, and knelt down onto the floor next to him.

"I need you to use your metal." She said. "I think with that, and the earth, we can heal him a lot quicker."

"Okay." I said, and tuned into my own metal element. I was by no means as powerful as Stark- I couldn't create or fuse with the element like he could. But, I could still harness its energies. I drew the magnetic energy from my surroundings- the ceilings, the walls. It was everywhere.

Penelope placed her hands on Stark, and I did the same on the other side. I then noticed Penelope's hands begin to glow a soft green underneath, and watched the earth power flow into Stark. I took that as a sign to do the same, and so slowly released the metallic energies I'd gathered.

After a few moments, Stark groaned, and started to open his eyes. He looked a bit sleepy, and perhaps a little bruised- I wondered if he had any broken bones. Although, if he was able to fuse, then he could heal himself when he'd gathered his strength back.

"Hey, Stark." Penelope said. "Can you hear me?"

"Mmmh." Stark said, but you could see that he just needed rest.

"How's he doing?"

I looked up and saw Tina standing there, looking good as new. Almost, anyway- she looked tired, and had bags under her eyes. Did vampires even sleep? Perhaps she just needed blood.

"He just needs a good night's sleep." Penelope said. "Tina, can you carry him to the infirmary?"

Tina nodded, and despite her fatigue, she easily picked Stark up from the ground and took him out of the room.

I stood up, still feeling terrible that this had happened. How could I have let Haydn take over like that? I rubbed my forehead.

"This wasn't your fault, Millie." Penelope said, and then placed both her hands on my shoulders. She must have read my worried expression.

I shook my head. "I let him in." I said. "I fuelled the darkness whilst I was down there."

Penelope frowned. "Look, I think we all need to take a break from this." She said. "Haydn hasn't found the darkness yet, and clearly doesn't know where it is or he would have possession of it already. We cannot do anything until we know where it is. Go home, and get some rest. Take a long weekend. Go and visit your family- it might be the only chance you'll get for a while."

I wanted to protest. To tell Penelope that we needed to be out there, looking for the darkness ourselves. But she was right. There were people working on the case every day- people with far more tools and technologies at their disposal. I knew I would be called if anything popped up.

I also knew that I wanted to go home and see the family. Not because we were about to be swamped with work for the foreseeable future, but because of what that worked entailed. Who that work entailed. There was a chance I wouldn't be able to see them again, especially if Haydn had things his way.

I sighed quietly. "Okay." I said.

Penelope mustered a smile. "It may not seem like it at the moment, but you did good today, Millie." She said. "You came back to us."

I could have come out with a million and one ways to describe how I did not do good today, but I didn't have the energy to argue. "Thanks." I said. "Tell Stark I'm sorry."

"He'll understand." She said. "Now go. Go out with your friends or do whatever people your age do these days."

I chuckled. "Thanks, Penelope." I said, and left.

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