Retrieval
Nico’s knee bounced steadily, nervous energy prompting the action until Karolina placed her hand over Nico’s leg. The bouncing stopped as Nico’s eyes trailed from Karolina’s hand, up her arm, past her shoulders until she finally met her eyes. Karolina had a small smile on her lips, meant to reassure and comfort Nico while her eyes silently asked if she was okay. Nico nodded slightly, shifting in her seat so she could lean her head on Karolina’s shoulder. Her eyes fell closed when Karolina kissed her hair, their hands joining over Nico’s knee. On Nico’s other side, Alex offered a small smile of his own while doing his best to keep his own fidgeting in check. They were all nervous.
“Breathe, guys.” Alex reminded them from the front seat. “Remember, we can turn around at any time. You don’t have to do this.”
After two weeks of planning, Karolina, Nico, and Alex were finally returning to LA to retrieve the Staff of One from Nico’s parents, and hopefully get some more info on PRIDE while they were at it. It wasn’t an actual mission, at least it wouldn’t be put on record at the DEO but J’onn had supplied transportation and extra protection for them by assigning both Agent Danvers and Agent Vasquez to accompany the teens to LA. Danvers drove their black suburban with Vasquez in the passenger seat. Vasquez was quiet but supportive, she didn’t pressure any of the kids to talk and made sure to keep them updated on their progress.
“We’re okay, Alex.” Nico said after taking a deep breath. “We can do this.” Karolina squeezed her hand gently.
They’ve been on the road for a little under two hours and with each second, they get closer to LA, Nico can feel her nerves igniting. She knows they need to do this. They need to get the Staff away from Tina. She needs to have something that she can use to protect her friends, to protect Karolina. She knows the Staff is an advantage they can’t afford to not have. Despite knowing that, the thought of returning to LA, to her childhood home, to all the memories it holds makes her sick to her stomach in a way she never expected.
She can’t help but wonder what Amy would think of all this. Not just the truth about PRIDE but about them running away, about her and Karolina, about living with Lena Luthor who is without a doubt their parents’ biggest adversary in the tech industry. Would Amy agree with everything they’ve done? Everything she’s done? She always liked Karolina, but would she like her as Nico’s girlfriend? Nico likes to think she would have, but she avoids thinking about it as much as possible. Wondering what Amy would think doesn’t change the fact Amy isn’t here. She’ll never know what Amy thinks about anything, ever again. Knowing that now, with everything that’s changed in her life, hurts more than it did when Amy first passed.
“Baby?” Karolina’s soft voice brings Nico out of her thoughts and she focuses on their joined hands. Her knuckles are white, straining against her skin as she squeezes Karolina’s hand too tightly.
“Oh, sorry,” Nico relaxes her hold on Karolina’s hand, watching as her fingers flex slightly before they move out of Nico’s field of vision. A weight settles over her shoulders, the warmth of Karolina’s hand rests on her outer arm as she’s pulled close. Nico’s head moves so she’s tucked in the crook between Karolina’s shoulder and neck. It’s not the most comfortable position given their cramped seats in the back of the suburban, but Nico’s too grateful for the contact to care. She inhales deeply through her nose, the scent and feel of Karolina easing her nerves if only for a moment.
“It’s okay,” Karolina tells her after kissing her hair again, “I know you’re nervous about going back there. I am, too.” Karolina’s voice is low, only for Nico to hear. “We can do this, and then we’ll be back home with potstickers and Chase badly singing along to Moana.” Nico laughs despite herself. They’ve taken to having movie nights once a week at the Mansion, as a way for the teenagers to relax and feel normal for a night even if they can’t really forget about everything going on around them. Chase had enjoyed last weeks movie, Moana, immensely and had been signing Maui’s song dramatically every chance he got.
“Home,” Nico whispers back, turning her face to kiss Karolina’s neck gently.
“Home,” Karolina repeats. Her hand leaves Nico’s shoulder for a second to land on Alex’s when he looks in their direction. Their eyes meet, and a silent agreement passes between them. No matter what happens at the Minoru household, they’ll make sure Nico doesn’t face any of it alone.
“Fifteen minutes out,” Vasquez speaks up. Agent Danvers uses the rear-view mirror to look the three runaways in the eye as the pass into LA city limits. They stare back, jaws clenched and eyes burning with the desire to prove themselves. Alex nods and eases through LA traffic.
They’ll face the music, she knows, and come out on top. She’s gotten to know these kids over the past month. She knows how determined they are, their drive to do what’s right no matter the cost. It’s admirable trait, one Alex is familiar with because it’s one the Runaways share with Kara. That’s part of what worries her. These kids will do anything to protect the people they care about, no matter dangerous, no matter how reckless.
Alex doesn’t fear the encounter with Nico’s parents, no, not at all. But she is scared of how this will affect Nico, and what lengths Alex and especially Karolina will go to in the name of protecting her.
The Mansion feels empty with three of its inhabitants absent. Gert feels the absence of Nico, Karolina and Alex more than she thought she would. Her fingers twist a loose thread on her sweater, she’s bitten her nails down far enough that when she goes to bite them again, she’s met with only skin. She’s sitting near the bottom of the steps in the Mansion’s foyer and her gaze alternating between the front door and her own chipped nail polish.
“They’re going to be fine, Gert.” Chase rubs a comforting hand down her back and Gert can’t help but relax. He hasn’t left her side since the others left with Alex. Even Molly had to move around, her feet bouncing and fingers tapping against her legs until she loudly proclaimed, she was going to go wrestle with Old Lace in the yard. Lena and Kara both had to leave, despite wanting to stay home. Keeping the Runaways safe involved the adults in their life acting like nothing was out of the ordinary, even when three of the kids they were caring for were off possibly risking their lives to get a magic staff.
“I know.” Gert nods. “Rationally, I know that. They’ve got Danvers and that other agent with them, Karolina could probably take out anything that comes at them, and Nico and Alex are totally capable of defending themselves too, doubly so once Nico gets the staff. I know that, I do.” Gert also knows she’s over explaining everything, but she can’t help it. “But my brain isn’t always rational and I’m not going to actually believe they’re fine until they get home again.”
“What can I do to help?” Chase asks so sincerely, though Gert is surprised he asked at all. He’s constantly surprising her, he’s far more observant and insightful that she gives him credit for. She thought he couldn’t surprise her any more, not after knowing each other their whole lives. This might be the only time in her life she’s happy to have been wrong.
“I-I don’t know.”
Chase nodded. “Do you want to help me work on the Fistigons?” They’d been returned to him the previous week, after lots of pleading on Chase’s part and several assurances from Kara that there wouldn’t be any property damage.
“I wouldn’t understand half of what you do.” Gert pointed out.
“That doesn’t matter,” Chase stood, offering his hand to Gert, “it’s not about the work. I just want to help you relax. I know there’s not much I can do until the others get back, but I can at least try to help.”
“You do help, Chase,” Gert accepted his hand and let him lead her to the room who had claimed as his workshop. “It’s not as hard to think when I’m around you. I don’t feel like I have to analyze everything, I can just be. That helps more than you know.”
“Good, I’m glad.” Chase smiles at her and Gert is struck by how such a simple conversation can make her feel so extraordinary. Then, she supposes, Chase has always had that effect on her. Even when they were kids, Gert would put up significantly less of a fight to do something Chase wanted to do, even though most of it required athletic skills that Gert does not posses and has no desire too.
“So,” Gert begins slowly after a few minutes of comfortable silence pass. She’s had something on her mind for day now, something she desperately wants to clear up, but they’re always surrounded by everyone else in the house. She and Chase don’t have the advantage of sharing a bedroom like Karolina and Nico, who can actually keep their private conversations private. “I think there’s something we should talk about.”
“Okay?” Chase puts his tools down, turning in his seat to face Gert fully. “What’s up?”
“Um, well, you see, the thing is-“Gert huffs slightly, “we had sex.”
“Yeah, that’s a thing that happened.” Chase’s Adams apple bobs as he swallows. “Do you, I mean,” Chase clears his throat and tears his eyes away from Gert’s. “Did you not want to? I mean, I know you wanted too, at the time. But it doesn’t have to happen again.”
“It doesn’t?”
“NO! I thought you wanted it to be a one-time thing.” Chase shakes his head. “I’ve been trying not to pressure you or anything like that, even though I really want to do it again.”
“You do?” Gert’s expression is shocked, her eyes wide beneath her round glasses.
“Of course, I do.” Chase takes Gert’s hands in his own. “Gert, that moment we shared, it means everything to me. I meant every word I said that night. I see you, I’ve always seen you. I will always see you.”
“Do you really mean that?” Gert’s voice betrayed her emotions, shaking with affection, hope, and fear.
“Every word.” Chase promised. “You mean the world to me Gert, and I’m always going to be here for you, however you need me to be.”
“Chase, I – I don’t know what to say.” Chase shook his head, his dimpled smile making Gert’s heart race.
“You don’t have to say anything.” Their eyes met, and Chase opened his mouth to say more but suddenly found his lips otherwise occupied.
Gert’s lips were softer than he remembered, her body not as soft, a product of their constant workouts, but she tasted the same. Her lips moved over his slowly, like she was afraid if she pushed to hard, he’d pull away. Chase did the opposite, using his strong arms to pull Gert flush against him. The motion pulls Gert into Chase’s lap, her legs wrapping around his waist as their lips connect again and again.
“I’m not ready,” Gert says through panting breaths when their lips finally separate moments later, “to do it again. I’m not – Is it weird to want to go slow after I’ve already seen you naked?”
“No,” Chase chuckles lightly, “it’s great. We can do this however you want to.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.” Chase sealed the deal with a soft kiss to Gert’s temple.
“Oh my god, FINALLY!” Molly’s yell made Gert jump so hard she fell of Chase’s lap and landed by his feet in a heap. “I’ve been waiting for you two to kiss and make up for forever.”
“Molly! Knocking is a thing you know!” Chase rose from his seat to help Gert up.
“Yeah, when the door is closed. You guys left it wide open.” Molly rolled her eyes as her sister glared at her. “Now, c’mon. I’m hungry and you’re the best cook here since Lena’s at work.”
“Okay, okay, we’re coming.” Gert shooed her sister off with a wave of her hand. “Well. That was mortifying.”
“At least it was just Molly,” Chase offered as he wrapped his arm around Gert’s shoulders. “Nico would tease us for years if she caught us like that.”
“Yeah, but we could get Nico back. It’s like we haven’t seen her and Karolina in compromising positions.” Gert knocked her head against Chase’s shoulder. “Molly’s too innocent to tease about that, yet.”
“We’ll get her back for it someday.” Chase promised lightly. “For now, we should get to the kitchen before she tries to cook and sets something on fire. Again.”
Alex parked the suburban a block away from the Minoru household before turning in her seat to look at the three nervous teenagers.
“Okay, we’ve got eyes on the house from here. Karolina send up a flare if you need us. You remember how?” Karolina nodded. “Good. Remember it’s not too late to go back. You don’t have to do this.”
Alex looked each of the teenagers in the eye, knowing they would do this no matter what.
“Keep the car running.” Nico’s voice sounded surer than she felt. “This won’t take long.”
They climbed out of the backseat and shut the door behind them, walking around the front of the suburban in the direction of Nico’s childhood home.
“You okay, boss?” Vasquez asked without taking her eyes from the kids.
“Ask me again when they come back.”
“You okay?” Karolina asks when they pause at the end of the driveway leading to Robert and Tina’s garage. Her hand found the small of Nico’s back, rubbing gently.
“No,” Nico answers honestly, looking up at Karolina. “But I will be, once we get this over with.”
“Okay,” Karolina has a very strong urge to pull Nico into her, steer her away from her old home and say to hell with the mission. They don’t need the Staff. But she knows they do, and that leaving now will delay the inevitable. “Let’s do this.”
“The blind spot’s over here.” Nico leads Karolina and Alex through a small whole in the bushes around the side of the house to the Wizard control panel. Alex uses a rock to break the off the lock holding the door closed and Nico pulls it open.
“Light it up, Rainbow,” Alex encourages her as he takes a step back from the console. Nico, on Karolina’s other side, places a reassuring hand on her arm.
“You can do this, Karo,” she whispers softly, her thumb rubbing a soothing pattern on the inside of Karolina’s wrist. Karolina nods slightly, removes her bracelet, and concentrates her lights on her right hand. She takes a step forward, hand stretched out in front of her and directs the energy into a singular beam.
The beam connects with the console, sparks shooting out. Alex flinches back slightly but Nico steps closer to Karolina, ready to push her out of the way if things get out of hand. She hears the garage doors open, a slight buzzing in her ears indicating the rest of the house coming to life as Karolina fries the circuits.
“You’ve got it.” Nico says a second after Karolina drops the beam. There’s a bead of sweat on her forehead from the effort of keeping her lights focused, but she smiles proudly when Nico confirms she did her job. “Let’s keep moving, we don’t know how much time we have.”
They enter the Minoru house from the back, the automated doors wide open thanks to Karolina’s abilities. There’s no sign of Nico’s parents around the house, but they still move as quietly as they can across the bottom floor. Nico leads the way to her mother’s office, her shoulders tense and hands clenched at her sides. Karolina wants to reach out to her, take her hand, kiss her head and remind her that she’s not alone but she knows she can’t. Nico’s determined to get the Staff, and she knows Karolina and Alex are with her every step of the way, and they have the support of Molly, Chase and Gert back in National City. Nico’s not alone, but she shoulders the burden of protecting her friends like she is.
“Alex, you can access her computer from there.” Nico directs Alex to her mothers’ desk as they enter the home office. Alex nods, pulling a non-descript flash drive from his pocket. Agent Danvers had supplied the drive, set up to copy all available information they find on PRIDE automatically and send it to a secure DEO server, just in case they have to make a speedy getaway and can’t grab the drive on the way out.
Nico turned to the back wall after Alex moved to the desk and Karolina took up her position next to the door to the office, staring at the case that housed the Staff of One. She was half-way expecting to not find it in the case, and the fact that it was there made her uneasy.
“Nico?” Karolina questioned softly after glancing over her shoulder to see that Nico hadn’t moved. She took a small step, intending to move to Nico’s side but at the same time unwilling to leave them undefended if Robert or Tina walked in.
Nico shook her head, breaking her spiraling thoughts and turning her head to meet Karolina’s eyes. She nodded once, her face a perfect mask but her eyes lit with apprehension. Karolina nodded back and sent what she hoped was a reassuring smile in Nico’s direction before turning to look out the door again.
Nico stepped up to the case, reaching for the catch on the side her mom had shown her the one time they worked with the Staff together. She forced herself to breath evenly, her discomfort growing in the silence of the house. She could hear her own heartbeat pounding in her ears, barely able to make out the sound of Alex typing at her mother’s desk. The Staff warmed in her hand, as if it was happy to be held by Nico again. Nico released one quick, startled breath. They had the Staff, she did it.
“Alex, you got anything?” Karolina asked suddenly, drawing Nico and Alex’s gaze to her. She held her silver bracelet in one hand, the other dimly glowing as she held it in front of her body.
“I’m not sure, but I copied all the files I could find.”
“Good, because we need to leave. Now.” Alex nodded, removing the flash drive and making sure the desk looked the same as it did when they entered.
“Karolina, what’s going on?” Nico asked as she moved closer to her girlfriend. Karolina held a finger to her lips, signaling for Nico to be quiet. Karolina took a hesitant step forward, her body half-way out of the office and arm raised to defend herself if necessary, before taking a sudden step backwards.
She reached for Nico with one hand, Alex with the other, pulling both of them to the wall with her. She silently clipped her bracelet onto her jeans after ensuring Alex would stay put if she released him. Karolina kept her hold on Nico secure, half hiding her with her own body. Nico looked at her questioningly, opening her mouth to speak again but Karolina placed a finger over her lips.
“Karo, what’s happening?” Nico asked as softly as she could, her voice shaking with fear and nerves.
“They’re here.” Karolina whispered back, her head turned so she could listen out the office door. She directed Alex stand on the other side of Nico, shielding her from both sides, as the voices finally reached Nico’s ears.
“Are we sure this is happening then? We can’t afford to be wrong about this.” Nico sucked in a breath at the sound of her mother’s voice.
“I’m sure,” Janet Stein answered, “he’s running out of time and Victor is refusing to help anymore.”
“He’s running out of options.” Catherine Wilder added, “that means he’s going to be even more dangerous.”
“We have one shot at this.” Dale said.
“We don’t know if we’ll ever be able to get more serum. We have to do this right.”
“Um, Tina,” Robert asked, Nico leaning heavily against Karolina at the sound of his father’s voice, “did you tell Wizzy to open every automated door in the house?”
“Of course not,” Tina scoffed, “why on earth would I do that?”
“Then why are they all open?” There was a beat of silence coming from the living room followed by a rush of footsteps, headed towards Tina’s office.
“Don’t come any closer!” Karolina stepped out of the office door, both hands glowing fiercely and a determined glint in her eye.
“Karolina! What are you doing – Nico?” Tina’s gaze fell to her daughter as she stepped up behind Karolina, Alex flanking her other side.
“Alex!” Catherine called to her son, taking an involuntary step forward. Karolina aimed one of her glowing hands at Catherine.
“Where’s Chase?” Janet’s voice shook slightly.
“Gert? Molly?” Dale stood on his tiptoes, trying to see over the kid’s shoulders.
“They aren’t here.” Nico said lowly. She held the Staff behind her back, ready for her mother to try and take it from her.
“Where have you been? We’ve been worried sick.” Robert stepped up beside his wife, eyes only for his daughter. “Nico, we- “
“Save it, I don’t want to here it.” Nico snapped at him. “We came here for one thing, and we’ve got it. We’re leaving now.”
“Wait,” Janet stepped forward again, “please, we – there’s things we need to talk to you kids about.”
“We have nothing to say to you,” Karolina’s hands pulsed in warning. She shot Alex a look over her shoulder, the boy nodded and grabbed Nico’s arm.
“Then just listen, please?” When the kids didn’t move, Janet continued. “We don’t have much time. Jonah’s moving forward with his plans. He’s going to knock California into the sea.”
“We found out what’s at the bottom of that hole.” Stacey spoke up for the first time as she joined Janet. “It’s the ship Jonah arrived in, centuries ago.”
“But that’s not all,” Dale picked up where his wife left off. “Jonah, he wasn’t alone when he came here. His family is on the ship, too.”
“You’re family, Karolina.” Tina said, watching how the teenagers reacted. Karolina’s eyes widened slightly, her lights flickering for a second. Nico pulled her arm out of Alex’s grip to put her hand on Karolina’s back.
“When is this happening?” Nico asked when it became apparent Karolina wasn’t going to say anything.
“One month from tomorrow,” Robert answered,
“and you kids need to be as far away from here as possible when that happens.”
“Why are you telling us this?” Karolina asked shakily, hating how weak she sounded.
“You’re our children,” Janet answered, “you’ve all been like family to us since you were born. That hasn’t changed just because you ran away.”
“We’re trying to protect you,” Robert said pleadingly. “We know you aren’t safe with here, not anymore. We’d do anything to keep you safe, you know that.”
“Do we?” Alex spoke up for the first time. “All the kids you killed, everything you’ve done to cover it up. Turning us in for murder? That was all done in the name of keeping us safe?” Alex scoffed.
“Alex, you don’t understand,”
“I understand perfectly.” Alex interrupted his mother. “You guys have no idea what it really means to be a family. None of you do.”
“We’re your parents, Alex.” Catherine shook her head, “we’ve only ever wanted the best for you.”
“We love you.”
“Don’t lie to me, Mom.” Nico glared at her mother. “You say you’re protecting us, trying to provide for us, for me. But you and I both know we haven’t been mother and daughter in a long time. It’s time to stop pretending otherwise.” Nico’s eyes flickered over to her father, her hand gripping the fabric of Karolina’s shirt tighter. “We’re leaving.”
Alex and Nico moved behind Karolina, heading for the door they entered through.
“I’m sorry Nico, but I can’t let you leave with the Staff.” Tina held her hand out.
“You don’t have a choice.” Nico refused to let go of the Staff as it jumped in her hand.
“Nico, let go.” Tina ordered, following the three teenagers into the backyard. Robert followed her out, but gestured for Catherine, Janet, and the Yorkes to stay by the door instead of coming all the way out.
“We need to leave now,” Alex said, looking over his shoulder at where he knew Agent Danvers sat in a suburban down the street. “Nico,”
“She’s not going anywhere with that Staff.” Before the Runaways could react, Tina rushed up the group, ducking under the beam Karolina sent at her and rising to her feet again. She released three quick strikes against Karolina, hitting her in the stomach, side, and throat. Karolina collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.
Tina moved to her daughter once Karolina was down, using Nico’s distress over Karolina to physically rip the Staff from her hands. She swept the Staff to the side, knocking Nico to one side and Alex to the other.
“Karolina!” Nico called, ignoring the ache in her own shoulder from her fall and crawling to Karolina’s side.
“FREEZE!” Tina’s powerful voice called as she held her arm over the pool. Ice cracked across the top, loud thumps emanating from below it.
“Alex!” Catherine called but was kept from rushing into the yard by Dale and Janet.
“Get the Staff,” Karolina croaked harshly, her throat protesting every movement. “I’ll get Alex.”
“Tina, release the spell!” Catherine demanded but it fell on deaf ears. Karolina moved to the edge of the pool, both hands lit and aiming a single, focused beam at the ice.
“Tina!” Robert called. “That’s enough!”
“Nico, the ice is too thick!” Karolina yelled out, her voice cracking with the effort. Alex’s pounding on the ice grew weaker by the second.
Nico rushed at her mother, forcing her to use the Staff to block the furious blows Nico aimed at her body. Her concentration broken, Tina’s ice spell dropped, and Karolina pulled a coughing Alex from the water. Nico continued her onslaught, grabbing the Staff with both hands. The Staff pulsed in her hands, and Tina looked nervous for the first time.
Using the Staff as a boost, Tina used Nico’s grip on the tool to swing her in a large circle. She used the momentum the movement offered to throw Nico away from her, she crashed into her friends. An audible crunch sounded as Karolina let out a sharp scream.
“Karolina!” Nico clambered off her girlfriend and Alex, watching with wide, angry eyes as Karolina cradled her arm to her chest. Alex moved behind Karolina, supporting her weight with his own while he took off his jacket to wrap her arm.
Nico felt her spine stiffen as she rose to face her mother, red clouding her vision with each whimper that came from Karolina’s mouth. She could feel the anger rushing through her veins, clouding her thoughts. Karolina was hurt. Her mother hurt Karolina, her Karolina, the person Nico was falling in love with. Nico could only see red. She felt like she was moving in slow motion, her hand rising on its own accord, open as if to grab something. Tina watched with wide eyes as the Staff jumped from her hand to her daughters. Refusing to let go, Tina moved to rush forward until she found herself stuck in place.
Nico held the Staff out in front of her, the halo glowing to signal an active spell, though no sound came out of her mouth. Tina had been on the receiving end of many glares from her daughter, but she’d never seen as much anger in her eyes as she did now. Tina turned her head towards her husband, silently telling him to do something. Robert tried to move forward and failed, stuck just as securely as Tina.
“Nico, we need to get Karolina out of here!” Alex yelled when Nico didn’t move. “Nico!” His cries grew more desperate with each second that they remained in the backyard.
“Nico,” Karolina’s voice was no louder than a whisper, but it was enough to break Nico out of whatever spell had taken her over.
“Karolina,” Nico turned, the red fading from her vision as she returned to her injured girlfriends’ side. “I’m here, baby. It’s okay. We’re getting you out of here, now.” Karolina nodded, her eyes falling closed as Nico pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.
“Help me get her up,” Alex said softly, “I’ll carry her to the car.” He kept his voice low so the adults watching them wouldn’t know they had an escape plan.
“Karolina, I- “
“I think you’ve done enough, Tina.” Janet’s voice was harsher than Nico had ever heard, but she paid it no mind. Karolina released another soft whimper as Alex maneuvered her into his arms.
“I’m sorry, Karolina.”
“It’s okay, Alex.” Karolina whispered back, “just keep moving. It’s going to hurt no matter what.”
Alex nodded, making sure Karolina was secure against his chest before making his way out of the Minoru backyard as quickly as he could without hurting Karolina more. Nico followed behind him, her eyes glued to Karolina, the shrunken Staff in her hand. They rushed down the driveway, every painfilled sound coming from Karolina breaking Nico’s heart. She could see the DEO suburban in the distance, relief filling her being. They had stayed exactly where Agent Danvers said they would. Karolina wouldn’t have to suffer for too much longer.
The suburban moved closer, meeting the three Runaways at half the original distance from the Minoru house. Vasquez jumped out of the passenger seat before the car came to a halt, pulling open the back door for Alex. Nico raced around to the other side of the car, throwing the door open and placing herself in the middle seat with the Staff at her feet. Alex set Karolina in her seat as gently as he could, and she leaned into Nico’s embrace. Vasquez pushed the door closed while Alex ran around the car to get in on Nico’s other side.
“What the hell happened?” Agent Danvers asked as they pulled away from the curb. Vasquez looked at her for confirmation, activating her comms when she received a nod from her superior.
“Our parents showed up,” Alex answered the question. “Some of them anyway. Nico’s mom wouldn’t let us leave with the Staff. We had to fight her off.” Alex ran a hand through his wet hair, splashing water onto the seat. His clothes were soaked and clinging to him, his glasses dotted with water, but he seemed to not notice.
“And Karolina?”
“I – I don’t know. We heard something crack. I think it was her arm.” Alex ran his hand through his hair again as he looked at his friends. Nico had one arm wrapped around Karolina’s waist, the other carding through her hair gently. Karolina looked pale, tears still streaming down her face.
“Karolina, Rainbow, I need you to look at me sweetie.” Danvers requested gently as she pulled the suburban into an empty parking lot. She cut the engine and turned in her seat to look directly at the injured teenager. “Rainbow, can you tell me where it hurts?”
“Arm,” Karolina grunted out, “throat.” Nico kissed her hair.
“Okay, good job. You’re doing great, Rainbow. We’re going to get you to the DEO, okay?” Alex turned to her fellow agent. “Vasquez?”
“Landing in three,” Vasquez answered.
“What’s going on?” Nico asked worriedly.
“We’re bringing in a chopper. We’ll get the three of you back to National City and the DEO that way.” Alex reached out to squeeze Nico’s knee gently. “We’ll get her home, Nico. I promise.”
A rhythmic beating greeted them as Alex opened her door. She spoke quickly to the agent driving the chopper before opening the back door to the suburban.
“Rainbow, I’m going to carry to the chopper, okay?” Karolina nodded her consent, allowing the older woman to pick her up out of Nico’s arms and carry her to the chopper. Nico climbed out after her, securing the Staff of One on her belt loop and accepting the hand Alex offered her to help her into the chopper. She moved to Karolina’s side again as soon as she was on board. Agent Danvers boarded the chopper, pulled the side door closed behind her and signaled to the pilot to take off.
Nico felt Karolina grow heavy in her arms, the blonde slumping even further against her. She was about to panic, her eyes growing wide and heart rate accelerating until Agent Danvers handed her a headset.
“She’s okay,” her voice filtered through the muffs covering Nico’s ears. “She’s just exhausted and in pain. It’s better for her to sleep now, she won’t hurt as much.”
Nico nodded, pulling the headset off and shifting Karolina into a more comfortable position, careful not to nudge her arm and ignoring the pain in her own shoulder that throbbed with each motion. They did it. They got the Staff, but Nico wouldn’t consider it a victory. Not with Alex beside her, soaking wet from almost drowning, and Karolina, injured and exhausted in her arms. Nico’s jaw clenched, and she pulled Karolina tighter against her chest.
This wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.