4/16 Instance: Reparations

[tears~fall~like~glass]

Timeline: After Somehow, Some Way



<Cecilia> Cecilia paused as she rounded the corner towards Mayday's bed - lunch tray in hand. Perhaps this wasn't a good idea. Mayday hadn't really wanted anything to do with her after that shitty mission at the disco. She'd made that very clear.

<Cecilia> Then again, it wasn't like Cecilia was just going to disappear, if the other girl had a problem with her she'd just have to deal...that and Cecilia had her lunch. So, with an impassive face on she walked over and placed the tray down on the bedside table. "Lunch's served," she said briskly. "Hope you like jello. I know some don't, but I've always been a fan."

<Mayday> Blinking awake at the newcomer, Mayday looked up at her, smiling a little timidly and scratching her head, "Hey....", she waved awkwardly, "...so erm....saved my life when my ex literally left me for dead, huh? Wonder if they do medals for that..."

<Cecilia> Cecilia snorted. "You don't get any medals for being the medic. Actually, all you get is a pat on the back at best and be labelled a 'judgemental bitch' at worst." She opened up some of the containers for Mayday. "It's my job - you don't have to thank me."

<Mayday> "No. But I should apologize...", Mayday confessed, "I-I realize I've...been less than great with my stress. I was mean, and unfair. Yeah, I don't like what you said, because Illy got hurt by it. But...", she shrugged, "You're right. We're losing this fight."

<Cecilia> Cecilia sighed heavily, leaning over the side-table. She was tired, so tired. "...Well, thank you. It's nice to hear for once that someone besides Fabian actually values my goddamn opinion and doesn't think I'm a complete idiot. Which I've been hearing non-stop for the past few weeks."

<Cecilia> She straightened up again after a minute and took a seat next to the bed. "...Has anyone told you about John?"

<Mayday> Mayday sat back a little bit, stiffening, ".....what about him?"

<Cecilia> "Hope was given a URL about John," Cecilia said, pinching the bridge of her nose. "She gave it to me when I texted her trying to to convince her to come back...she thinks it means John's still alive."

<Mayday> "A 'URL about Johnny'....", she repeated, "...on the internet that could be literally anything."

<Cecilia> "It links to a video," Cecilia said, not wanting to hold Mayday in suspense. "It shows him being tortured by this Dr. Rott asshole, killing multiple dupes and then setting them on fire. So yeah, I had a great movie night last night."

<Cecilia> "We're not losing - we've already lost. The question now is how to mitigate the damage..." Cecilia covered her eyes with her hands "...I wouldn't get my hopes up on finding John alive, Mayday, we'll be lucky if we get Jamie back at this rate. We've no fucking clue where they are."

<Mayday> Heart sinking deeper than she thought possible, drowned in a chasm of despair, Mayday's eyes fell to her hands. Words becoming a held breath as she felt her mouth dry.

<Cecilia> Cecilia inhaled sharply. "We're trying to trace the url but it's probably being hosted by a third world server so this is gonna time..." she covered her mouth with a hand to stifle a sob as tears began flooding her eyes "...I don't know how much more I can take. I can't...we just never seem to win here. We're always too late and now we're spread so thin and then Ed takes off and..."

<Cecilia> She covered her eyes again and sniffed loudly. "...Fuck me. I can't do this anymore. I don't know what I'm gonna do if we lose John and Jamie. I can't do it again. I can't live like this. I can't live with the guilt."

<Mayday> Mayday gulped, sitting up and shuffling off the bed with great difficulty. She yanked the wires monitoring her heart rate free and stumbled towards Cecilia, holding the side of the bed  to avoid collapsing and ignoring the pain in her side.

<Mayday> Arms raised, she threw them around her friend, holding her as tightly as she could with what little strength she had, "Don't feel guilty...", she all but gasped, out of breath already, "It's...not your fault. It's nobody's fault but theirs."

<Cecilia> "Christ!" Cecilia exclaimed, standing up and leading Mayday back to the bed. "Don't get up, you'll hurt yourself! Are you crazy?!"

<Cecilia> Once she'd put the other girl back where she belonged though she sniffed and nodded. "Thanks...I know it, I just...find it really hard to believe it sometimes..."

<Mayday> "Well, it's true.", Mayday breathed, lying back on the bed, "S-so...don't thank me."

<Cecilia> Cecilia sat down on the end of the bed, eyes glued to the floor. "What you said the other day..." she said after a long while. "That really fucking hurt. To think that after all that time, how much shit you helped me through and how much I'd tried to help you...that you could throw what we had aside so easily..."

<Cecilia> "You broke my fucking heart," she said thickly. "I don't care that I'm not really your damn girlfriend or whatever, even though I was more your girlfriend than your actual one ever was, you stabbed me in the goddamn chest."

<Mayday> "And the world kicked my ass and stabbed me in the side with pieces of bomb.", Mayday shrugged, smiling awkwardly, "No....no, seriously, you're right. I'm....I had no right to get so mad, it's just.....with everything going on....I was so mad at people but...."


<Mayday> She gulped, "I-I had no right. I was wrong...and....I'm really, really sorry, because it's obvious you're the only person who cared enough to go back for me and after everything I'd have expected you t-...", she choked up a sob, "S-Sue left me and I thought you would, too...I-I thought I was gonna bleed out right there..."

<Cecilia> "...Well, you didn't," Cecilia said hoarsely. "And the dart wasn't toxic either, thank God, 'cause there was little I could've done if it'd been poisonous..."

<Cecilia> She hesitated a moment before putting her hand on Mayday's. "Good...don't ever do it again."

<Mayday> Mayday nodded, "....good ol' 'Parker Luck', huh? M-my Dad told me we have luck like that - crazy stuff happens and we wing it by a thread...", she remained silent for a little while, knotting her fingers together, ".....c-can you....forgive me? P-please?"

<Cecilia> Cecilia laughed a little bit. "...Yeah...of course I can. Would I be sitting here if I couldn't?" She said, before leaning over and giving Mayday a careful hug. "I'm glad you're alright."

<Mayday> Clinging to her, Mayday nodded, "Y-yeah, me too. I'm so, so sorry.", she breathed, "I'd literally be dead without you..."

<Cecilia> "I'm sure someone would've done something," Cecilia said, chuckling a little. "It's not like Illyana couldn't have ported you and Rachel back to the medlab...but thanks, I appreciate it. Turns out I'm useful for more than just my bitchy down to earth advice, yeah?"

<Mayday> Laughing a little, Mayday agreed with another nod, "Yeah...thanks so much, really.", she sat back, "God, Cecilia...I couldn't do this without you, and I'm so, so sorry I tried to."

<Cecilia> Cecilia smiled back slightly. "I could - if I had to - but I wouldn't really want to. Thanks, May. I appreciate it."

<Mayday> "Well, you're clearly twice the woman I am.", the redhead laughed, "I swear, I'll never, ever say anything so horrible again.",

<Cecilia> "No-one can promise that," Cecilia said. "Everyone says the wrong thing sometimes. Just...some say it more than others - like me. Just try your best, that's all I ask. I'll do the same."

<Cecilia> "I'm wouldn't say I'm twice the woman...unless you mean twice as terrible. Then I'd agree," Cecilia said wryly.

<Mayday> Mayday shook her head, "No. No, you're just...you're the best friend I could ever, ever ask for."

<Cecilia> "Same to you," Cecilia said. "Same to you." Her lips quirked up suddenly. "It's a shame I don't swing your way, man. We would've been a kick-ass lesbians together... we'll find you someone just as awesome though. Don't worry."

<Mayday> Shrugging, Mayday laughed, "Aaah, whatev. Seriously, I ain't even mad - I mean...gosh, my last girlfriend was gonna seriously leave me for dead.", she shuddered, "Needless to say I'm not living in the same room as that anymore."

<Cecilia> Cecilia frowned a little at this. "Personally? Don't take this the wrong way, but I think you'd be better off not being with anyone for awhile, May. Just...take the summer. Clear your head, then come back and make tracks. That's what I'd do. If I made tracks that is."

<Mayday> "Yeah...", Mayday nodded, "...yep. You're right. Thanks, Cee."

<Cecilia> "Anytime," Cecilia laughed. "...Now are you gonna eat that jello or not?"

<Mayday> "Ok, Mom, geez(!)", laughed Mayday again, sitting up slowly, "Puddi!"