NovaPrime

By this point, Jean knew not to go into Richard’s head. It wasn’t like everyone elses, and he had just woken up. The last thing she wanted was to hurt him again. “You were going to go underground with me?” Surprise coated her voice. He had seemed so solid on what he believed, she never would have guessed. It took a second, but Jean followed along with what the rest of what he was saying. “I didn’t realize that it could do that. Richard,” she paused. “just know that whatever you did when it was in control wasn’t your fault. Coming to terms with that makes your life a lot easier. Take it from someone who knows very well.” 

“Is it that shocking a statement?” He laughed off, scratching his head. “I know it wasn’t my fault. I’m still responsible for whatever I did, though. It was still me. I knew it could make me its puppet and I let it control me. I let it live, right? So I’m responsible for that. I fixed it though. Now it’s... it’s paying for it. You can even check my head. Go ahead, look. Worldmind free.”

“How the hell is that even possible?” Sam says, clamping his hand over his mouth but quickly realizing his mom isn’t here, so he doesn’t need to watch his tongue.

“Xandar is the home of the Nova Corps. Or it was. You should’ve seen it, buddy.” He awed. “And I don’t really know why I’d die, but that’s what the science heads told me when I came back to Earth during my quarantine medical. Another thing you should probably know: Nova Corps members are supposed to do a six week in-suit quarantine after other planetary contact when coming to Earth. All the galactic diseases and infections and all that. But we’ll let it slide. I’ll catch you up.”

“I really don’t. Parts of the past month or so I felt myself, I was myself. But it’s all whizzed around with parts that I wasn't. Like a fog when I try to think back. I was ready to give it all up. Come find you, go underground. When people I knew started getting hurt... it brought it all into perspective. We shouldn’t live ignoring the difficulties of others. I realised that. Sooner than we would all know it, all of us would become the others, and no one would be left to fight in our corner.” Richard looked to the floor for a moment. He wasn’t great at explaining things or putting his feelings into words. He knew it. Trying to do so brought the man back to his younger years; shy and anxious and disliked.  “And that’s when the Worldmind shut me out. I think.”

Now that it came down to it, Robbie found himself struggling with how to tell the story. He had known Richard deserved to hear about this, but like most things concerning the SHRA, that fight wasn’t a good memory. He wrinkled his nose, more seriously. “Something along the lines of a fight took place down in the sewers. We were fighting the anti-reg at first, but then some Sentinels showed up, so we all teamed up against the common foe and defeated them… but Captain America died. I’m not sure who killed him. It was a bullet. If I were to take a poll, I’m pretty sure the majority would blame Stark. That’s the short version.” He smiled mildly again, though not too much, because of what he had just said. But things actually didn’t seem so very much depressing right now, since Rich was back. Sure, a fear still lingered in his mind that Rich would fall back asleep again with the slightest shock — though he tried to keep it out of his expression, he knew his friend wouldn’t appreciate that — but talking to Richard, this felt comfortable. It was good.

“Sentinels? What the hell are—” Richard was cut short by what Robbie said next. Steve. Steve Rogers. Captain America. Dead. The words were as much a punch to the stomach as anything physical. The Captain, all his heroics, they were told to every New York kid. City, State, it didn't matter. He was their hero. Now he was gone. Again. Rich said the only words that meant anything to any of it. “Tony wouldn’t. He couldn’t. That would never ever be the truth of this, Robbie. Even if people think it is.”

“Funny,” he responds with a smirk, wiping a tear from his eye, “My dad’s a janitor at my school. Or I guess was. He’s gone, and my new school is here.”

“I don’t need my helmet any more. The Force is in every cell, apparently. And a lot of it. Everything Xandar had— or at least all it thought it had. Your existence brings that into question, obviously. But I’d die without what I have now.”

Jean kissed him back, and once it ended she nodded. “I’ll try. I’m an over analyzer by nature, but I’m really going to try. I don’t know if I’ve said this yet, but I’m so glad that you aren’t dead.” Jean couldn’t imagine what would have happened if he had died. She barely could have handled him being in a coma. Resting her hand on his cheek, she gave him a small smile. “The war ended, by the way.”

“I think you might have—” Rich smiled; dimples showing. “You can keep saying so, though. Don’t mind in the slightest.” Maybe now was the time to explain. “About that... I mean, I’m happy it has, but the last thing I really remember is talking to you on the phone. It’s all hazy from there. Something obviously happened that landed me in here."

“Awful sense of humor? Me? Now I know you’re brain-damaged.” He grinned and sat back up when Richard did; relief flooding him that his friend seemed fairly normal. But Robbie’s heart was still pounding so hard it hurt. “It’s good to see you too, Rich, I was so afraid… I was afraid you were going to oversleep through all the fun! And through aaalllllllll the not-so-fun, too, but it was probably more fun for you missing out on the end of that.”

“And what exactly happened at the end of aaaaall that?” Richard sat back. He had avoided talking about the mess left behind. About the Act. But this was Robbie. They used to be team-mates— if anyone knew how to fill him in, it was Speedball.

“My mom is always right, trust me I know that. And I’m not just saying it, she’s literally always right.” Sam places a hand on Rich’s shoulder to support him when he reaches for the folder. He knows offering to get it for him will get him nowhere, so he doesn’t bother with it. “That’s fine, I don’t want to tell you about it to be honest, it’s all I ever hear.”

“I did.” His body fell into laughing, too. “This is what happens when you’re brought up by a high school principle. No cursing allowed.” Rich explained. 

He climbed off the chair and crouched rather uncomfortably to level his face as close as he could to Richard’s field-of-view. “Yeah sleepyhead, it’s me, the good old Masked Marvel in whose spotlight you bask. And I asked about your dream, but… how are you feeling? Do you want me to get a nurse? Do you think you’re permanently brain-damaged? —because I’m not sure you could ever afford that!” He was worried; it was hard for him to stop rambling.

“Brain damaged? Might be. Who knows. I feel fine, so that’s a good sign. I think.” Rich sat up. “No nurses, not unless they’re here to repair your awful sense of humour.” He joked, expression perking up to a smile. “It’s good to see you buddy.”

“Hate you? Rich, we were just on opposing sides of a war. I could never hate you.” Jean just couldn’t believe that he didn’t hate her. She was already quite mad at herself for even getting into the mess in the first place. Her hand moving to rest on Richard’s where it sat on her shoulder, Jean took it and pressed it to her face. “I’m… Yes. I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.” The noises were beginning to die down, and the brief panic attack had ended. Maybe it wasn’t fair to him, but without thinking Jean leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. At least, she was telling herself that she wasn’t thinking about it. In reality Jean was going at a million miles hour. She pulled away, face flushed and eyes searching Richard’s. “I’m sorry.”

Being reminded of what he’d been forced to do gave Richard a churning of rage, feeling like it was twisting his insides; but when she took his hand it calmed. One day he would explain. Richard accepted the kiss— and when she pulled away, he moved in for his own. “Don’t be.”

Sam nods, eyebrows heavy with concern as his eyes dart over the man before him, making sure that maybe he was okay. He was shocked to see him awake, having not expected it this soon. “How are you feeling? Do you want me to fly off and get you some food?”

“I feel... better.” Richard smiled reassuringly. “Sorry ‘bout all that there. Not sure what happened.” Well, he did. All the Nova Force he held? It was his to control in its entirety now— with him locking the Worldmind out. And it surged with the shock in his body; like he had meant it to so he could wake. “Sam, quick question. Humour me here, but you haven’t had any voices coming through your helmet or your head, have you?” The kid was gonna think he was crazy. Nevertheless, with another Nova in the vicinity, he had to ask.

Jean hadn’t thought it possible for her mind to get any louder, but now it was practically pulsating with thoughts. Her control was out the window, she was picking up every thought in the Institute and she had no choice but to close her eyes and take a series of deep breath to get everything under control. That was what Richard did to her. When she was positive that her eyes weren’t glowing and she wasn’t losing it, Jean was able to look to Richard once more. “I…” Yes, very intelligent.  This was Richard. Her friend. Why couldn’t she think of words to say? “Scott kissed me. You were gone. I wasn’t sure if you were alive and he kissed me. I kissed him back. He loves me, and I…” She paused, taking a shaking breath. “I don’t deserve your love. You are just about my favorite person that I’ve ever met, and I didn’t even realize that I had fallen for you and when I did I couldn’t believe how strongly I felt. How strongly I feel.” She pressed her hands to her temples, closing her eyes. “I can’t think.”

“Scott? Oh. That’s no big deal. I thought you were about to say you hated me for saying for a second there.” He was relieved. Not pleased. Of course it was not exactly what he had idealised hearing in reaction... but it wasn't catastrophic. Which he had come to expect in life. “Look, if the last time you were with someone else was two hours or two years ago, I don’t care. It doesn’t change how I feel about you now. I’m a grown ass man. Apparently. It’s about what’s in here,” He pointed to his chest. “Not what’s been on here.” Richard’s hand waved up and down his body before moving to her shoulder reassuringly. “But maybe you should take some time— are you okay?” A twinge of concern crept up.