Nighthawk: A Superhero Story (closed for Siobhancan99)

[Halcyon638]

Gabi rolled over onto her back, tilting her head toward Monica and looking up into her green eyes. “Sweetie,” she said quietly. She reached over and lightly stroked her girlfriend’s jawline. “I didn’t even…it’s hard to believe it’ll be a whole year.”

She intertwined her fingers with Monica’s left hand and then pulled it toward her. “It’s okay. That makes sense. You being worried about me. With what you went through. I’m sorry you…I’m sorry all of that was going through your mind tonight. But...you didn’t act on it. Maybe you thought about it, but you didn’t. And…you decided to let me in on everything. You let me decide if being with you is worth the risks and the stress and…it is. It totally is.”

Rubbing her thumb against Monica’s palm, she continued, “And I mean, it’s not like…you don’t have your reasons for worrying. Tom and just…everything you’ve seen. And deal with this year. But…I’m also not, like, some total wide-eyed country girl in the big city. I know how to be safe. Where to avoid. And honestly, like…taking supervillains out of the equation…I remember reading most violent crimes are committed by people you know and not random strangers. Like poor Eve. God.”

She sighed softly. “I will definitely let you know if…you’re going a little overboard. But I definitely want you to talk to Mel about this if it’s freaking you out so much.”

 

[siobhancan99]

"Hadley's dad, when I was sort of talking to him... you know as the nighthawk, said that his biggest regret was not always being honest about what was going on with him when he was married. So I'm trying to learn from his mistake" she curled her girl in "and its not all the time. This seems all very ptsd. Like when it comes it comes in a huge overpowering wave. I just don't want us to get in the habit of indulging it and feeding it." she curled in against her girl, then held her till they both fell asleep.

 

[Halcyon638]

Monica fell asleep quickly, but it was anything but restful. At one point, she dreamt she was standing among a bustling subway crowd. Gabi, dressed in her church clothes, stood in front of her, half-facing the doors of the nearest subway car.

“It won’t take long,” Gabi was reassuring Monica, holding what appeared to be a ticket in her hand as if any subways took paper tickets. “It’s just four blocks.”

“Don’t go,” Monica heard herself protest. “Please, don’t go.”

“If you didn’t want me to go, then why’d you give me the ticket, silly?” Gabi said with a smile, leaning in and kissing her girlfriend’s cheek. “I’ll see you soon.”

As Gabi approached the train, Monica looked up at the cavernous ceiling. A sickening feeling set in. It was the abandoned and soon-to-be-restored subway station at which she’d fought Killstreak and received a message from the Imperial.

As the doors to the subway car slid open, she heard the strange, AI-modulated voice once more. “And I swear, I will destroy everything that means anything to you. Your friends, loved ones, your allies.”

Gabi stepped across the platform. As she did, Monica spotted Tom, Brendan Knapp, and her mother, all smiling serenely, waving.

When Monica awoke, she was alone in bed. A moment later, her girlfriend entered the room, dressed in her gym clothes. “Happy Birthday Eve!” she said, likely not able to see the older girl’s expression in the dimly lit room.

 

[siobhancan99]

At first Monica was confused, and thought Gabi was talking about Eve. Then it dawned on her "oh are birthdays two days now?" she still felt shitty, tired from the bad sleep and anxious from the horrible dreams. She'd nearly forgotten the Imperial. She wasn't entirely sure that the Imperial wasn't somehow related to the whole dark side jedi thing going on with the cult of Centauri. That was just a pet theory though. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and tugged Gabi in, hugging her "you off to the gym, beautiful?"

 

[Halcyon638]

“Only your birthday, cutie,” Gabi said. “You’re just that dang special.”

Responding to the question about the gym, she said, “Yep. I gotta get in there and move around. I feel like all I’ve been doing is hunching over a screen and stuffing my face with junk food. Love you.”

Monica was regretting the late night when she rolled out of bed to get ready for her 8:35 Intro. to Computer Science course. The only bright side was that Thursdays were a lighter day, with her Survey of Asian History course finishing by 11:30, leaving just her 1:00 appointment with Melanie.

A little after 12, Monica and Gabi received a text sent to both of them from Eve. “So, neither my dad or Rebecca (stepmom) have been able to get in touch with Ellis for at least 4 days now, but he has a credit card on her line of credit and she actually looked up his last few charges and found the motel he’s staying at. Can we talk today? I get out around 4:00.”

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica made her way over to grab a bite before meeting Mel. She texted Eve "sounds good." Then headed over to the office, sitting outside in one of the chairs as she waited on the redhead. She read as she sat, trying to keep ahead of her history reading since it wasn't her normal thing. She immersed herself in the warring states period, trying to keep her disturbing dreams from floating to the surface of her mind.

 

[Halcyon638]

Melanie listened sympathetically, then reinforced some of the points Gabi had told Monica to help curb some of her anxieties. The professor ended the session with some strategies Monica could use to cope in moments when her worries were particularly heightened. “They aren’t a magic bullet, but if you get into the habit of using them, some people find they can really make a difference.”

As Monica rose from her seat, Melanie opened a drawer on her desk. “Monica…before you go.” She pulled out a small paper bag emblazoned with the name of the local bookshop at which she’d once spotted the red-haired, older woman. “Gabi had mentioned she was planning for your birthday, so…” Her face turned a little red and she extended the container to Monica.

It was a used but well-preserved copy of a Margaret Atwood novel, Cat’s Eye. “Not that you have much time for extracurricular reading these days…That book meant a lot to me when I was around your age.”

 

[siobhancan99]

"awww Mel. You're really sweet to give this to me." She took the novel "honestly it will distract me. It's exactly what I need right now." She moved over and gave the other woman a warm hug, just glad for the moment "Seriously its really sweet of you. This is fantastic I'm going to go home and start it right now and maybe have a glass of wine or something. She wrote The Handmaid's Tale right?" She put the book in her bag, touched Mel shared something personal with her as a gift "thank you sooo much."

 

[Halcyon638]

The red-haired woman was silent for a moment after the hug. “I…I’m glad,” she said a bit absently, as if she’d been temporarily distracted. Smiling, she said, “Yes. Much less bleak than Handmaid’s Tale, fortunately, but still…resonant. For me, at least. I hope you have a lovely birthday, Monica.”

As it turned out, Monica did have a little down time between her meeting with the professor and her meeting with Eve. Gabi was in her painting course until 3:00.

She arrived home a little after, her long, dark hair tied back. Eve had texted the two of them directions to her off-campus apartment a couple of blocks away.

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica had settled in with her book when Gabi got home. She set it down and wrapped an arm around Gabi "I'm not sure how to handle this Ellis thing. Until he does something I can't really hit him as the Nighthawk. Maybe I'll just go talk to him as Monica and see if that does the trick."

 

[Halcyon638]

Gabi kissed her forehead. “Yeah. It’s definitely a tough situation,” she said, slipping off her coat. “And kind of outside my wheelhouse. Like, way out. Three blocks away from the wheelhouse.”

Looking pensive, she shoved her hands into her pockets. “I think it’s maybe about just finding out what would make Eve feel safe? She seemed to calm down a bit when you talked about you—er, Nighthawk, or Mr. Knapp going to see him. Let’s take a walk over and find out.”

On their way to Eve’s apartment, a light drizzle was falling. The sophomore looked like she hadn’t been sleeping well. She offered them some soda or water, then the three sat at her small kitchen table in a cramped but cozy apartment. Blinking electric lights served as a decorating motif throughout the building, as did posters of various bands. “So…you were saying that…maybe Hadley's dad or…the Nighthawk could talk to him? What exactly…like, what would they say to him, exactly?”

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica shrugged "i dunno. I'm not the Nighthawk" she grinned and sipped at her water "In your perfect world, how would it go? polite chat where they asked what he was doing there and suggested he leave you alone? something more direct? I guess at the end of the day anyone doing this for you would want this to come out how you want."

 

[Halcyon638]

Eve leaned back, slumping against the back of her chair. “That’s the thing. Part of me—a big part of me—wants to tell him if he comes within 50 feet of me, he’ll be sleeping with the fishes or whatever.”

She leaned forward now, resting her elbows on her knees and putting her hands on the back of her head. “But then part of me’s like, ‘what if that just makes him double down on the crazy?’ What if it makes him get mad and decide he’s going to come after me the second he’s alone?”

There was a desperation in her brown eyes as she looked at Monica and Gabi. “He’s here to scare me. To make sure I know how far away I run or how much I change how I look, he’s going to find me. That’s why he’s here.”

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica nodded "well. Maybe the trick is to let him know he's findable, wherever he is. I dunno. I'll talk to my friend. She can pay him a visit tonight." She tapped her fingers on the table idly, still wondering what the best play was. "Where is he staying anyway?"

 

[Halcyon638]

“I’ll…I’ll text you the motel address,” Eve said, picking up her phone.

“Are you going to be okay if we leave?” Gabi asked, concerned.

“Yeah. Thanks. Ian’s going to come over in a couple of hours, and my roommate should be home soon. Fuck. I need a drink.”

Gabi and Monica headed home. Gabi got right to work, creating a social media post for the LSA promoting an upcoming Spanish language film night and then turned to her homework. At a certain point, she wandered over to where Monica was sitting, leaned down, and draped her arms over the older girl’s shoulders.

“So…before you go out and do your thing…you need to pack a bag for an overnight stay,” Gabi said in a mildly teasing tone. “I’ll tell you where we’re going after class tomorrow.” She kissed Monica’s cheek, then idly slipped a hand down to caress Monica’s right breast.

 

[siobhancan99]

"what sort of clothes should I pack?" She covered her girl's hand, tugging it against her chest, leaning in to kiss along her neck a moment. She let it go, then got up and started throwing some things together. "I think I'm really gonna press this kid and get him to admit all the things he's done to Eve then make him email a video of that to his dad and eve's mom, then let him know if he comes back around the video will go to the DA."

 

[Halcyon638]

Gabi smiled. “Pack something nice for going out to dinner, and like, something comfy for lounging around. And the naughtiest underwear you own.” She let out a soft sigh as Monica kissed her neck.

As Monica explained her plan regarding Ellis, Gabi nodded. “Oh, that’s a good idea. That way if she needs to file another restraining order against him, she’ll have all this evidence.”

She hugged Monica again. “Be safe, okay? I know he’s, like, a normal guy, but…be careful.”

The drizzle had stopped by the time Monica had headed over for the night. The motel was a sad establishment off a highway entrance ramp across from a dingy looking strip club. Although she didn’t have Ellis’s room number, she was able to spot his Honda from above and zoom in on the plate to confirm the vehicle belonged to him.

 

[siobhancan99]

Monica threw on a hoodie over her armor just in case there were external cameras. She looked at the motel from the road, then looked for any rooms near the car with the lights on. She assumed that he'd park near his rooms. It wasn't a great part of town, so she doubted it'd be teaming with people except maybe prostitutes. but if she found a prostitute she could probably easily inquire as to which rooms had working girls and then through process of elimination find Ellis. Moving to the first door she knocked.

 

[Halcyon638]

There was a delay after her first knock, though the light was on in the room. No one responded. A second knock brought a male voice, sounding like a guy in his 20s or 30s. “What?”

It was Monica’s lucky night, apparently. Ellis opened the door. His mop of brown hair wasn’t covered by a cap, but she could see the impression of the hat. He had a boyish face and was dressed in a black Avengers T-shirt and blue jeans. “What the fuck?” he said when he spotted her mask.

 

[siobhancan99]

"A friend of mine asked me to come by and talk to you about your sister." She stuck a foot in the door to make sure he couldn't shut it. She looked up at the guy "If you don't know who I am, I'm kind of a big deal. People know me." She tried the Ron Burgundy line again, though last time it fell a little flat. "I promise I won't take up too much of your time. I know its a long drive back to Michigan."

 

[Halcyon638]

Ellis’s eyes widened slightly, but his facial expression otherwise didn’t change much. “My…Amanda,” he said. “Sure,” he said in an amiable tone. “Come in.” He walked toward his bed, where a tablet lay face down. “I can’t believe I’m getting to meet you.”

 

[siobhancan99]

"In the flesh." She stepped in. "You can have a selfie if you want. Why don't you hand me the Ipad there and I'll take one of us." she figured this way she could make sure it wasn't recording, or if it was she could be circumspect.

 

[Halcyon638]

"No, that's okay," Ellis said, approaching the foot of the bed now and continuing toward the nightstand, his back toward her. "So...I'm sure Ama--Eve...whatever...she must have told you some crazy things about me. Like, awful things. Am I right?" He reached down for his phone on the nightstand.

 

[siobhancan99]

"Truth be told, I don't know her and I haven't talked to her. Everything I have is second hand and you know how that goes." She assumed he was recording and she decided to play it cool for this visit. She grabbed a chair and sat down "Why don't you tell me what happened between the two of you so I understand your side of things." She assumed he was going to go on and on about how he loved her or whatever, in which case she might be able to turn it back around on him. Or you know, he'd say she was a magical space princess or something. Who the fuck knew? Still best to let him talk in case this was going to end up online.

 

[Halcyon638]

The tall man let out an uneasy laugh when Monica mentioned everything being second hand, but his facial expression didn’t seem to match the sound. “Sure, sure,” he said, sitting on the edge of the bed. “It’s actually…it’s really kind of sad,” he said. Again, there seemed to be a mismatch between the tone of his voice and the neutral expression on Ellis’s face.

“Amanda—that’s her real name—Amanda. I don’t know if she told you that or told your friend that,” he said. “I really feel bad for her. She has had a really tough life, and…she’s definitely got a lot of psychological stuff going on. And a lot of it…a lot of it seemed to start when my mom and I moved in with her. I think—I don’t think she got along well with her real mom, and she and my mom fought all the time, so…I was kinda the one that was trying to make peace between them, you know? That’s kinda what I do. A lot of people feel like they can open to me when they don’t really feel comfortable talking to anyone else, you know?”

His energy was a little manic at this point. “So, here I am, smoothing things over and watching out for her—general good big brother stuff, you know?” he said with a forced smile. “I think she started to…get obsessed with me. Like, following me everywhere. Saying, like, super inappropriate things. Like, even if she wasn’t my step-sister, inappropriate. Then she started telling people all this fucked up stuff. Completely out of nowhere. Saying, like, the baby she got an abortion for—did you know she had an abortion? Saying that it was mine and that—all kinds of fucked up stuff, you know?”

He shook his head theatrically, which was appropriate, considering how rehearsed everything sounded. “I really just feel bad for her at this point. That’s—well, that’s the main reason I came here. I just want…I want her to know that despite everything…I forgive her. We all forgive her. And we can be a family again.” The wiry man barely seemed to have convinced himself of all of the words he’d just spewed Monica’s way as he looked her in the eyes.