All you have to do is shout it out.

Ever since the accident, the warehouse had been shut down. Now as she stood in the dank entrance to it; chills ran through her. Roxanne closed her eyes and let all the emotions sweep over her. Hate, love, betrayal, depression, anger, fear and confusion. Roxanne. Her eyes flew open and she whirled around, expecting to see a face to that voice. There was none. Her eyes closed again, exhaling softly. The ground was still burnt to a black char. Her stomach churned with sickening unease. Roxanne. She whirled around, flames touching her hands. It may have been awhile since she had ever used her powers but they weren’t rusty.

Fire escaladed through her left hand, wrapping around her body. A shiver ran down her spine as the familiar and gentle warmth caressed above her clothes. Still, there was nobody there. “Hello?” she called softly.

“It really is you.” Arabella. Or the woman she had run into one the street. She appeared from the shadows. “I knew you’d come here.”

“Why are you here?”

“How are you alive? You’re…you’re supposed to be dead.”

“Yeah, well tides turned.”

“But you didn’t die and you didn’t come back. What happened?”

“James. James was behind everything. He killed Aurora. Tried to kill me.”

Arabella stepped over the spot where James had been incinerated and moved towards Roxanne. She took a step away from the black haired gymnast. “I’m sorry Roxanne…I’m sorry he lied to you and hurt you.”

“Lied to me and hurt me? Arabella…he attempted to kill me twice! He tried to drown me, and then made me smack my pretty little head on a fucking concrete slab! Sorry wouldn’t have kept me alive! That,” she shot her hand towards the charred outline. “Is what did. My going against what I wanted, is what kept me alive and I beat myself up every day because no matter how evil, possessive, or homicidal he was still mine for that short period!” she shook her head, hands running through. “I mean, I know it was right but it was so, so wrong.”

“Roxanne…but…why didn’t you come back?”

“Do you think I could? I was supposed to be dead. I really was. I mean, who survives a nice crack to the head that splits their skull open? Uh, not me! I couldn’t face you guys either. I mean….it was just something I couldn’t do. I was scared and angry and didn’t want anything to do with anyone anymore. Not after I killed him. I couldn’t deal with any of that. I didn’t want to and couldn’t.”

“You can’t just abandon what you were meant to do either Roxanne. You could have at least told us your were okay.”

“No, it was better to make you think I was dead.” She looked up to Arabella, inspecting her.
“Why?”

“Because when a team isn’t united they aren’t bothered.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I wanted all of us to be able to live normal lives! Not have some dangerous threat shot at us every day! I wanted my father to not have to worry about whether his only willing daughter would come home or not.”

“But that’s not your decision Roxanne. We were chosen.”

“Yeah, I was fated to die but yet here I stand.”

“Yeah, well that’s because you never follow the rules.” A new voice sounded from behind her. Valykrie.

“Well if it isn’t Miss. Supermodel Extraordinaire herself.”

“Oh! Do you want air kisses cause I can so do that well,” Valykrie leaned over her lips pursed; but instead of going for an air kiss, she flipped Roxanne off. “Thanks for the scare.”

“Anytime.” She mocked, looking around. “So where are the other two?”

“Well, Dulcie’s at home being a housewife. And Lily’s in New York probably working late.”

“When did Dulcie get married?”

“Two years ago. We were all invited, but Lily was the only one to go, and well you were MIA. I was in Milan, and Arabella here, was off doing flips and twirls.”

“So you’re saying we all grew apart?”

“Yes. Lily and Dulcie stay in contact. Arabella and I live together. Seems like you’re the missing puzzle piece kiddo.”

“Excuse me?”

“Yeah,” Arabella said, hair flipping over her shoulder. “James and Aurora have gone missing from Utopia. Canter had them on lockdown and they somehow escaped. And since none of us died, we’re still pretty much the spirit holders in charge right now.”

“Don’t even say it,” Roxanne started.

“Guess who’s a team again?” Valykrie chimed, hugging them close.

Roxanne went still. A team. With people she had dumped and left behind. There would be serious trust issues if not neglect. She hadn’t spoken a word to Lily or any of them. And yet they all somehow remained tight knit and friendly. Letting out a mental groan; she cursed her karma.