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AXEL ALVARES
“Axel?”Someone shook his shoulders. “Axel you should get some rest in a proper bed.”
He peeled his eyes open to the dark room where Elena slept. Realizing he’d dozed off in the chair, he straightened to check on her, but she was as before. Asleep. Still barely alive.
“Grace has gone to the hospital for supplies,” Mary said softly behind him. He craned his neck to meet her eyes as she continued. “She suggested you get some proper rest.”
“I am resting here. Thank you.” He stubbornly turned back to his vigil over his sister, silently wishing there was something he could do other than pray.
It wasn’t like any god would listen to him, anyway. Certainly not the big guy upstairs with Axel’s track record.
Evidence of Daisy’s compassion surrounded him: potted plants; fresh clothes; food. He’d scowled at her like it was her fault. He’d pushed her away, and she’d still done these acts of kindness. He was a coward for taking his anger out on her.
“I can’t go anywhere,” he rasped, his feet frozen to the floor. “Elena needs me.”
Mary’s steady hand rested on his shoulder. He squeezed his eyes shut against the familiarity of it. His mother used to do the same thing as she watched over him while he studied.
His stomach knotted.
When Elena died, he’d have nothing of his family but memories growing cold and distant.
“Grace said Elena could be like this for days,” Mary explained. “Weeks, even. There’s also the slight possibility she might wake up. You don’t want her to see you like this.”
Axel tried to hide his snort of derision as he glanced down at the state of his dirty clothes. They both knew no one slipped into a coma unless they were near the end. He watched Elena breathe for a while. It had seemed to even out.
Elena stirred and mumbled something.
“I’m here, baby sister,” he said, heart skipping a beat.
Her eyes fluttered open.
“Hey…” She seemed to gather her bearings, and almost went back to sleep but frowned and reached for him. “We were wrong. The end of the world can’t wait. It’s okay. Go be the hero without me… tying you down.”
Her last words were almost inaudible. But he’d caught them. And hated them. He refused to acknowledge them and held her hand for a long moment. Her breathing had become labored from the effort of talking, but now smoothed out. Despite her words, he hoped the doc had been right. Why else would Elena have awoken? If this truly was the end for her, she’d have stayed asleep. Right?
Still… he stayed for another few minutes in case she had another burst of energy.
Maybe she was a little better, he supposed. A doctor would know more than him.
He could do with a shower. He checked the sky through the window. It was completely dark now. He glanced at the stoic older woman still behind him. Did she ever sleep?
Probably not. She had a family of powered vigilantes to worry about.
Daisy had left him clothes and a plate of food. His brows lifted. He could have sworn that meal was different before.
“Daisy returned while you were sleeping,” Mary explained. “She replaced the cold meal with sandwiches and put cello wrap over the top.”
Axel scrubbed his hand down his face, noting his stubble was long and rough. “I was rude to her.”
“She doesn’t think so.”
He frowned. “She doesn’t?”
Mary’s voice softened. “She knows you’re hurt.”
“Still… there’s no excuse for taking it out on the ones you love.”
“So go and tell her that. She’s in the basement practicing her gift. Been there for hours. You should tell her to get some rest. She’s pushing herself too far, but she won’t listen to me.”
