"I am leaving. I am leaving." But the fighter still remains
The righteous fury only lasted half of the way home. The second half was full of a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. What had she done? The Defenders were the only good superheroes out there. Teddy and Sarah were there, so were people she thought of as family. How could she just walk away from them?
And then there was money. As much as Blake hated it, there was no denying that she was the breadwinner of the family. Or at least she had been. If she left now there was nothing. Just her mom’s job. They’d been through so much and now they had another mouth to feed. On next to nothing. What was she supposed to tell them? That she got her feelings hurt and now she was quitting?
But she did know one thing. She knew she couldn’t turn back. Not after storming out like that. And NOT after what Tommy had said. Besides, she didn’t sign up to be a hero so she could take orders from a super villain. If she’d wanted that she would have signed up with Osborn’s Avengers. At least then she’d have Nate.
Cassie stopped outside her home. She took out her keys and went to unlock the door but her hand froze inches away from it.
Please let him not be home.
She turned the keys.
Please let him not be home.
She eased the door open.
Please let him not be-
The sharp voice of her step-father cut through her thoughts. “Who’s there?”
Damn.
“It’s me.” Cassie forced herself to walk inside and close the door behind her. “I’m back.” She stepped into the living room.
Blake was on the sofa. He held up the remote and hit the mute button before looking back to Cassie. “You’re early.”
She could tell all ready that this wouldn’t go well. Her room was at the other end of the hall. If she could get to it she could bypass the argument entirely. If he didn’t follow her. “Yeah, I know.” She tried not to walk too fast- but not too slow either. Don’t attract attention. Don’t take too long to get there.
“You know?” Blake stood.
Double damn.
“You’re not skipping are you?” His voice rose.
“No, I’m not skipping.” Cassie turned to him and held up a hand, waving it slightly. “Look they just- let us off early, O.K.?”
“On the first day?”
Head for the room. Don’t bother explaining just head for-
Blake grabbed by the arm and pulled her back into the living room. “I’m talking to you, missy. Don’t walk out on-”
“Let go of me.” Cassie jerked her arm back but she couldn’t break his hold. Of course she knew over a dozen different ways to get out of her stepfather’s grip, but they all involved using retaliatory force. She didn’t want a repeat of last time.
“Not until you give me an explanation.”
“Why don’t you mind your own business?” Cassie snapped and this time she did pull her arm free.
“My business? My business IS your business. You’re my daughter.” He pointed his finger at Cassie.
“I’m not your-”
“AND you’re getting paid for-”
Cassie glanced at the wall. “Not anymore.”
“Not any-” Blake paused. He lowered his finger. “What?”
Cassie looked back at him. “Not anymore. I quit.”
Silence, then Blake spoke. “No, you didn’t.”
“Yes, I-”
“Why? Why would you do- You’re just a stupid, spoiled brat. You have no idea how much we’ve sacrificed for you. How many nights your mother’s spent crying?!” Blake grabbed Cassie’s arm again, tight enough to make her yell. “And you’re going to apologize for whatever you-”
“I won’t! I will not apologize!” She yelled right in his face. “Now let me-”
“What could be worth your family starving to death!” He squeezed her arm even more, twisting slightly. “What could possibly-”
Cassie had to twist her torso so her arm wasn’t at a painful angle. “I'm sick of people telling me how what I should do." She blurted out. And before she could stop it, added. "And I'm sick of people guilting into something by mentioning my father." And it was clear that by people she was including Blake.
”Your father?” Blake laughed. “Cassie,” He shoved her back and at the same moment released her arm.
Cassie had been expecting him to drag her to the door. She wasn’t prepared for the unexpected push back and fell to the floor.
“Cassie,” Blake continued. He shook his head and stared down at her with a twisted grin on his face. “Your father was nothing more than a two bit thief.”
“Don’t.” Cassie’s rasped.
“You don’t want to take lessons from a ‘reformed’ criminal? That was your father. Once a con, always a con. Right, Cassie?”
“No.” Cassie’s clenched her hands into fists. She looked from the floor to her stepfather.
“If you don’t go back there right now and apologize then-”
The growl that escaped Cassie’s throat was too low for Blake to hear.
“You’ll never be anything. You’ll be worthless, just like your fath-”
“SHUT UP!” In moments, Cassie had pushed herself onto her feet and lunged forward. She shoved Blake hard enough that he fell over the coffee table back onto the sofa.
For a few moments Blake did nothing but gape up at her. Then he kicked at the table between them, slamming it against Cassie’s legs. Cassie doubled over in order to keep her balance, unwittingly coming within arm’s reach of her stepfather. Blake tore his fingers through Cassie’s hair, getting a solid grip on it before using her as a human hand rail so he could stand. Then he jerked Cassie’s head up, hard enough that Cassie was afraid her neck might snap.
“Let me go!” There were tears in her eye.
Blake yanked her toward the door. Cassie slid a foot forward. And then the whole world got bigger as she shrank down out of her stepfather’s grasp. Now it was Blake’s turn to lose his balance and fall. Cassie ducked away from him grew back to normal size.
“YOU DUMB BRAT!” Blake picked himself up. “Little bitch!”
“I can be a big bitch too.” Cassie grinned. “Want to see?” Everything got smaller, the furniture, the walls, even Blake until her head bumped against the ceiling. She put her hand around the sofa, making it clear that she could pick it up and throw it at any moment she wanted but she didn’t. Instead she waited and relished the look of terror on her step-father’s face.
“This is how it feels, Blake.” Cassie continued. “This is how it feels to be afraid. Now you know that there is nowhere safe to go- because how can you feel safe if you can’t feel that way even in your own home?” Her hand tightened around the sofa. At super size Cassie knew that the tensing of her arm muscles was clearly visible. And she hoped the fear that she was about to hurl the sofa at him was enough to make Blake shit himself. “How can you feel loved when all you can see in someone’s face is hate?” She took a deep breath and let go of the sofa. “I want you to remember this, Blake. I want you to remember this very well.”
Cassie let go of the rage; just enough to shrink back to normal size. She looked back at Blake, who seemed to be frozen in horror, before making her way to the hall. She heard her stepfather moving behind her but it wasn’t her concern. He was moving away from her, not toward. It wasn’t until she made it to the doorway that she realized what she’d done.
“Oh my God.” Cassie whispered and placed a hand on the door frame to steady herself. What have I done? “Blake-” She turned back. She turned back to help her stepfather. She turned back to apologize.
She turned back in time to see a lamp hurtling toward her face.
The next thing Cassie knew she was inside her room. Her backpack lay on her bed. It was half packed with clothes and Cassie herself had several bras in her hand. She felt like she’d just stepped outside of Memento because she had no memory of getting there. One moment she had turned in time to see a lamp flying at her and the next she was packing her suitcase to leave. But that wasn’t the only thing she had done.
The computer desk was now against the door, blocking anyone from coming in or out.
Cassie’s head throbbed. She could feel blood pulsing down the side of her face.
“Cassie.” Blake’s voice was calmer now but it still held an edge. “Open the door.”
Well, at least she knew why she’d moved the desk.
She took several moments to try and pull herself together but her mind was blank. Her body was sluggish. Taking a deep breath she forced herself to go back to her dresser and grab what medical supplies she’d hid in there. It wasn’t much but hopefully it would be enough. First she wiped away what blood she could- and the contact made her cringe and hiss. The iodine was even worse. Then she pressed an ice pack to her head to slow the swelling and bruising that was all ready taking place.
“Cassie…”
Still holding the icepack to her head, Cassie quickly packed the rest of her clothes before moving onto her brush- and then the rest of her makeshift med kit.
It all felt like a dream.
“Cassie, please open the door.”
She looked around her room, mentally sorting through what there was room left to take. The picture of her father and the other Avengers went in the backpack. She pried open some of her hiding places and took what was there. Her father’s old uniform, her digital camera (it had pictures and she was sure she could find batteries later). Some other pictures- a stuffed teddy bear, other small items that were of no value to anyone but Cassie. She didn’t trust her mother and Blake with it. And she didn’t know if she was ever coming back.
“Cassie, please. I’m sorry. Let me help you.”
She zipped up her backpack and slung it over her shoulders. She cast one final look back at the door before quietly opening the window and easing herself out
Several minutes later and her walk down the sidewalk turned into a stumble. And then the world started spinning. She leaned against a building but even that wasn’t enough. She fell onto her knees and started retching until the large meal she’d had for breakfast was gone. And even then she couldn’t stop heaving.
And then there was money. As much as Blake hated it, there was no denying that she was the breadwinner of the family. Or at least she had been. If she left now there was nothing. Just her mom’s job. They’d been through so much and now they had another mouth to feed. On next to nothing. What was she supposed to tell them? That she got her feelings hurt and now she was quitting?
But she did know one thing. She knew she couldn’t turn back. Not after storming out like that. And NOT after what Tommy had said. Besides, she didn’t sign up to be a hero so she could take orders from a super villain. If she’d wanted that she would have signed up with Osborn’s Avengers. At least then she’d have Nate.
Cassie stopped outside her home. She took out her keys and went to unlock the door but her hand froze inches away from it.
Please let him not be home.
She turned the keys.
Please let him not be home.
She eased the door open.
Please let him not be-
The sharp voice of her step-father cut through her thoughts. “Who’s there?”
Damn.
“It’s me.” Cassie forced herself to walk inside and close the door behind her. “I’m back.” She stepped into the living room.
Blake was on the sofa. He held up the remote and hit the mute button before looking back to Cassie. “You’re early.”
She could tell all ready that this wouldn’t go well. Her room was at the other end of the hall. If she could get to it she could bypass the argument entirely. If he didn’t follow her. “Yeah, I know.” She tried not to walk too fast- but not too slow either. Don’t attract attention. Don’t take too long to get there.
“You know?” Blake stood.
Double damn.
“You’re not skipping are you?” His voice rose.
“No, I’m not skipping.” Cassie turned to him and held up a hand, waving it slightly. “Look they just- let us off early, O.K.?”
“On the first day?”
Head for the room. Don’t bother explaining just head for-
Blake grabbed by the arm and pulled her back into the living room. “I’m talking to you, missy. Don’t walk out on-”
“Let go of me.” Cassie jerked her arm back but she couldn’t break his hold. Of course she knew over a dozen different ways to get out of her stepfather’s grip, but they all involved using retaliatory force. She didn’t want a repeat of last time.
“Not until you give me an explanation.”
“Why don’t you mind your own business?” Cassie snapped and this time she did pull her arm free.
“My business? My business IS your business. You’re my daughter.” He pointed his finger at Cassie.
“I’m not your-”
“AND you’re getting paid for-”
Cassie glanced at the wall. “Not anymore.”
“Not any-” Blake paused. He lowered his finger. “What?”
Cassie looked back at him. “Not anymore. I quit.”
Silence, then Blake spoke. “No, you didn’t.”
“Yes, I-”
“Why? Why would you do- You’re just a stupid, spoiled brat. You have no idea how much we’ve sacrificed for you. How many nights your mother’s spent crying?!” Blake grabbed Cassie’s arm again, tight enough to make her yell. “And you’re going to apologize for whatever you-”
“I won’t! I will not apologize!” She yelled right in his face. “Now let me-”
“What could be worth your family starving to death!” He squeezed her arm even more, twisting slightly. “What could possibly-”
Cassie had to twist her torso so her arm wasn’t at a painful angle. “I'm sick of people telling me how what I should do." She blurted out. And before she could stop it, added. "And I'm sick of people guilting into something by mentioning my father." And it was clear that by people she was including Blake.
”Your father?” Blake laughed. “Cassie,” He shoved her back and at the same moment released her arm.
Cassie had been expecting him to drag her to the door. She wasn’t prepared for the unexpected push back and fell to the floor.
“Cassie,” Blake continued. He shook his head and stared down at her with a twisted grin on his face. “Your father was nothing more than a two bit thief.”
“Don’t.” Cassie’s rasped.
“You don’t want to take lessons from a ‘reformed’ criminal? That was your father. Once a con, always a con. Right, Cassie?”
“No.” Cassie’s clenched her hands into fists. She looked from the floor to her stepfather.
“If you don’t go back there right now and apologize then-”
The growl that escaped Cassie’s throat was too low for Blake to hear.
“You’ll never be anything. You’ll be worthless, just like your fath-”
“SHUT UP!” In moments, Cassie had pushed herself onto her feet and lunged forward. She shoved Blake hard enough that he fell over the coffee table back onto the sofa.
For a few moments Blake did nothing but gape up at her. Then he kicked at the table between them, slamming it against Cassie’s legs. Cassie doubled over in order to keep her balance, unwittingly coming within arm’s reach of her stepfather. Blake tore his fingers through Cassie’s hair, getting a solid grip on it before using her as a human hand rail so he could stand. Then he jerked Cassie’s head up, hard enough that Cassie was afraid her neck might snap.
“Let me go!” There were tears in her eye.
Blake yanked her toward the door. Cassie slid a foot forward. And then the whole world got bigger as she shrank down out of her stepfather’s grasp. Now it was Blake’s turn to lose his balance and fall. Cassie ducked away from him grew back to normal size.
“YOU DUMB BRAT!” Blake picked himself up. “Little bitch!”
“I can be a big bitch too.” Cassie grinned. “Want to see?” Everything got smaller, the furniture, the walls, even Blake until her head bumped against the ceiling. She put her hand around the sofa, making it clear that she could pick it up and throw it at any moment she wanted but she didn’t. Instead she waited and relished the look of terror on her step-father’s face.
“This is how it feels, Blake.” Cassie continued. “This is how it feels to be afraid. Now you know that there is nowhere safe to go- because how can you feel safe if you can’t feel that way even in your own home?” Her hand tightened around the sofa. At super size Cassie knew that the tensing of her arm muscles was clearly visible. And she hoped the fear that she was about to hurl the sofa at him was enough to make Blake shit himself. “How can you feel loved when all you can see in someone’s face is hate?” She took a deep breath and let go of the sofa. “I want you to remember this, Blake. I want you to remember this very well.”
Cassie let go of the rage; just enough to shrink back to normal size. She looked back at Blake, who seemed to be frozen in horror, before making her way to the hall. She heard her stepfather moving behind her but it wasn’t her concern. He was moving away from her, not toward. It wasn’t until she made it to the doorway that she realized what she’d done.
“Oh my God.” Cassie whispered and placed a hand on the door frame to steady herself. What have I done? “Blake-” She turned back. She turned back to help her stepfather. She turned back to apologize.
She turned back in time to see a lamp hurtling toward her face.
The next thing Cassie knew she was inside her room. Her backpack lay on her bed. It was half packed with clothes and Cassie herself had several bras in her hand. She felt like she’d just stepped outside of Memento because she had no memory of getting there. One moment she had turned in time to see a lamp flying at her and the next she was packing her suitcase to leave. But that wasn’t the only thing she had done.
The computer desk was now against the door, blocking anyone from coming in or out.
Cassie’s head throbbed. She could feel blood pulsing down the side of her face.
“Cassie.” Blake’s voice was calmer now but it still held an edge. “Open the door.”
Well, at least she knew why she’d moved the desk.
She took several moments to try and pull herself together but her mind was blank. Her body was sluggish. Taking a deep breath she forced herself to go back to her dresser and grab what medical supplies she’d hid in there. It wasn’t much but hopefully it would be enough. First she wiped away what blood she could- and the contact made her cringe and hiss. The iodine was even worse. Then she pressed an ice pack to her head to slow the swelling and bruising that was all ready taking place.
“Cassie…”
Still holding the icepack to her head, Cassie quickly packed the rest of her clothes before moving onto her brush- and then the rest of her makeshift med kit.
It all felt like a dream.
“Cassie, please open the door.”
She looked around her room, mentally sorting through what there was room left to take. The picture of her father and the other Avengers went in the backpack. She pried open some of her hiding places and took what was there. Her father’s old uniform, her digital camera (it had pictures and she was sure she could find batteries later). Some other pictures- a stuffed teddy bear, other small items that were of no value to anyone but Cassie. She didn’t trust her mother and Blake with it. And she didn’t know if she was ever coming back.
“Cassie, please. I’m sorry. Let me help you.”
She zipped up her backpack and slung it over her shoulders. She cast one final look back at the door before quietly opening the window and easing herself out
Several minutes later and her walk down the sidewalk turned into a stumble. And then the world started spinning. She leaned against a building but even that wasn’t enough. She fell onto her knees and started retching until the large meal she’d had for breakfast was gone. And even then she couldn’t stop heaving.