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“About your mother, Nick.”
Nick went cold. “What?”
“They called us. They told us what happened to her. I thought Seth was going to tear the world apart to get to you. Do you remember?”
Nick hesitated, but then shook his head. “Everything from back then is a fog. I remember being with Dad, and then Seth was there. I don’t remember what time it was. Or where we were.”
“That’s to be expected. Trauma can alter the mind. Make it… change. It can rob you of your memories. He was there, Nick, as quickly as he could be. And he saw what it did to you. He understood what you were going through, maybe better than anyone else. He didn’t remember his own loss but knew what it had done to him. And he made a promise to you. He told you he would do everything he could to make sure nothing like that ever happened again.”
“I don’t understand,” Nick said helplessly.
“He wants to be here,” Martha repeated. “More than anything. But things are different now. And it’s hurting him more than you could ever know. I know that’s a cold comfort, but you need to hear it.”
Nick hung his head.
He heard her moving around the side of the bed, and he didn’t try to fight it when she took him in her arms. He sagged against her, laying his head on her shoulder. She rubbed his back, whispering quietly in his ear. “It was that day on the swings that changed everything for him. Since then, what he’s done has been about you. I know you can’t always see it, Nick. But sometimes, there are thingsgreater than us. Things we must do to keep those we love safe. And he loves you. Heloves you.”
She held him as he broke again.
She left a short time later, after having leaned over the bed and kissed his dad on the forehead. She stood at the door, purse in hand. She squeezed his shoulder and said she would see him soon.
She was about to leave when she stopped. “Nick?”
“Yeah?” he asked. He was exhausted.
“This will get better. All of this. I promise.”
He didn’t know what to say, so he said nothing at all.
She smiled tightly. And then she was gone.
It was almost time for him to leave.
Mary Caplan was waiting for him.
He held his father’s hand.
He said, “I’m going to make sure nothing like this ever happens to you again.”
He heard the beep of his father’s heartbeat as he turned and walked away.
“Not hungry?” Mary asked while he picked at the plate she’d placed in front of him.
He shrugged. “Just tired, I guess. Probably will make it an early night.”
“I have an appointment in the morning. It shouldn’t take too long. You can either wait until I get done or take the train to the hospital. Either way is fine.”
“Don’t worry about me,” he said. “I’ll take the train. Where’s Cap?”
She sighed. “Where else? Working. Always working. This business with the Extraordinaries, it… changes you.”
That was the idea, but he didn’t say it aloud. “I’m sure it’ll be over soon.”
She frowned. “What makes you say that?”
Nick pushed his plate away. “I think I’m ready for bed.”
He was almost out of the kitchen when she said his name. “Your pill. You forgot to take your pill.”
