Defrost my Heart Part Four: The Rot of a Perfect Day

Fussing with my new super suit, the Victorian design was a bitch to get in and out of. Making my way down to the basement, Master Elements greeted me at the door with a Cheshire Cat grin. Donning thick gloves that matched his emerald suit flawlessly, he ushered me into the room with a pile of metal and gears. Cocking my brow, my sixteen year old hands clenched the hem of my skirt. Old habits die hard, right?

“I am making a machine.” He pointed out simply, a slow huh pouring from my lips. Adjusting my mask, anyone with eyes could freaking see that. Restraining myself from shooting a sarcastic retort, the rubber of my uniform squeaked the moment I crossed my arms over my chest. Leaning down to examine the plan, several flaws were apparent. Plucking the closest pencil off the table, his features brightened at me choosing to erase and correct the mistakes. Staring closer, the purpose of this machine had frozen tears shattering on the table. 

“Do you think this is possible?” I choked out with a growing smile underneath my mask, Master Elements patting the top of my hand in reassurance. “As lovely as the sentiment is, it would be damn near impossible to reverse the damage I cause to anyone who gets too close to me.” Shaking his head with his hands on his hips, a spark of hope twinkled in his eyes. 

“You said damn near impossible but not impossible. With your ridiculously high IQ, the goal is practically met.” He returned with a wink, my brow cocking in response. “Doesn’t a future with family and friends beckon your heart?” Massaging my forehead, he wasn’t wrong. Friends and family sure would be nice but one wrong breath and they were a flurry of snow. Shooting him an icy glare, his smile dropped from his face. Sensing a swelling tide of guilt, my hands had been tied. 

“Fine!” I huffed impatiently, a quiet fear trembling in my voice. “Consider me your partner in your crazy endeavor.” Spinning around, his triumphant grin returned. Getting to work on the machine, his humming carried us through the first night. 

Rolling over, a frozen note had me cursing under my breath. Emberox and his former fire fighting buddies went away on their yearly fishing trip. Seconds from rolling back over to catch up on my sleep, a knock interrupted me . Swinging my feet over the edge of the bed. The lack of a cast had me thanking a higher being for a swift recovery. My bump was another story, the darn proving to be impossible to hide. The tabloids had their hay day, the dark insults tearing holes into my heart. Tying on my mask, my rubber gloves squeaked into place. Sliding on my boots while opening the door, a hiss threatened to mess up his flawless hair. 

“I want to preface this by saying please but let me accompany you to your appointment today. I can teach you a couple of new tricks.” He pleaded with his palms pressed together, a brisk yes tumbled from my lips. “There’s my girl. Afterwards, we can get noodles from your favorite place. Looks like you are already dressed.” Scanning me up and down, my hair needed work. Twisting it into a simple side bun, my fingers curled around my bag’s strap. Dropping it over my shoulder, fun was the last thing on my list. Some of us had real errands to run, my smile growing larger underneath my mask at the thought of spending the day with him. Locking my door behind me, the others waved as we stepped into the elevator. Awkward silence tainted the air on the way down, neither of us able to look at each other. Every ding signaled one step closer to his armored car, the doors groaning open. Following him to his car, the black paint shimmered in the flickering lights. Plopping into the passenger’s seat, he slid into the driver’s side. Lights glowed to life, his wink doing little to relax my fraying nerves. Staring numbly out the windows, another hit piece on me had frozen tears shattering on my lap. The latest damage seemed to be a step too far, a new level of hatred brewing among the growing anti-hero organization. 

“They don’t know what they are talking about. We fixed the parking garage within the same day.” He assured me weakly, my broken expression meeting his shaking smile. What was going on with him? A tired depression rested underneath his bright smile, his grip getting stronger on the wheel. Too hurt to inquire deeper, my fingers scratched at my lap. Refusing to respond to him, the complication of life weighed on my shoulders. Pulling into the hospital’s parking lot, signs of protest bobbed up and down. Climbing out, tomatoes froze before they struck me. Ripping off his suit jacket, he covered me up. Guiding me in, the tears wouldn’t stop breaking on me. A snake slithered in the grass, the mayor’s planted seed having grown into a damn tree. Nurses glared in my direction, the constant shattering of frozen tears alarming Master Elements. Hitting the button incessantly, shock rounded his eyes the moment I pinned him to the wall.  A busted fatherly gaze met my distressed ones, his hands rose into the air. 

“You don’t get it! I can’t leave unless I have a damn job!” I exploded while collapsing to my knees, hating the words coming out of my mouth. “Everyone hates me for doing my fucking job! Do they want freaking villains running the damn city!” The floor dinged open, time slowing down. An assassin had a gun aimed for my head, sheer panic rounding my eyes at his embrace. Ice traveled up his body,  a tortured help bursting from my lips. Noticing his mistake, the creep sprinted into the hallway . Peeling him off of me, my footfalls echoed out of the elevator. Webs caught my eyes, Madame Spider swinging in. Her leather suit hugged her body like a second skin, her smile dropping at my clear level of distraught.

“Get Master Elements home. Bring him to the basement and place him in the cryogenic chamber. The code is sixty four, sixty two. Please go.” I pleaded between sniffles, the hooded assassin growing smaller in the distance. Gunshots rang out, people hitting the floor. Hesitation lingered in her many eyes, a desperate please resulting in her doing what I asked. Crashing down the hall, those blasted opinions could go fuck themselves. Skidding behind a column, a trembling blonde nurse trembled at the end of a fire bullet gun. Shouting out indistinct orders, a few of the staff and patients whimpered in their spots. Hatred mixed with disgust for a minute, my compassion shutting it down. Things always worked out, right? A ball of ice cracked to life in my palm, my lips pressing into a thin line. Narrowing my eyes, the butt of the gun glistened in the early morning light. Jumping out from my hiding spot, a flick of my wrist sent the ball flying into the gun. The shock of the cold sent it flipping towards the cheap carpet, the metal freezing seconds before impact. Ice shards bounced off the floor, terror rounding his eyes. Pushing off the carpet, a couple of flips had me over his head. Smashing my heel into the back of his head, the white of his eyes flashed before his body hit the floor. Realization dawned on the victims, apologetic smiles meeting my quivering eyes. Dragging him over to a table, my free hand plucked my government issued handcuffs. Yanking his arms behind his back, metal scraped against metal as I trapped him into his spot. Freezing the chains, the bastard wasn’t going anywhere. 

“I have to go.” I choked out between sniffles, the nurse that I saved snatching my wrist. Mouthing the words thank you, her hand dropped to her side. Sprinting towards the stairs, every footfall echoed. Bursting through the front doors, discs of ice formed underneath my feet. Skating along them, the headquarters seemed too far away. Fighting another wave of tears, one hope remained. Skating into the elevator, time wasn’t on my hand. His heart would stop beating, a healthy wave of doubt crashing over me. Shoving Madame Spider out of the way, the console for our machine hummed into place. A thick metal wall dropped down, nitrogen pouring into the chamber. Madame Spider hovered by my shoulder, her hot breath annoying me. Glancing back at her, her presence was throwing off my concentration. 

“Do you want to get the doctor over here to check him out after?” I politely requested, her head nodding vehemently as she pounded into the hall. A set of small footfalls had me spinning on my heels, Evie pausing in the doorway. An icy breeze had her winter gear dancing away, her body smashing into her force field around my legs. Glancing up at me with a big old smile, any fraying nerves relaxed for a second. 

“Tell me about your day.” I pleaded while sliding a stool next to me, her coat hissing as she hopped on. Gushing about her day, her voice kept my mind from straying. Typing in code after code, a red message blinked on my side. Right, we needed a reflective surface. Feeling around my pocket, what remained of Lord Glass grazed the tip of my finger. Fighting back tears, the ball felt heavy in my palm. Dropping it into the hole, a warm heat radiated from the other side. Steam curled into the air, his heart rate registering on my side. Frozen tears cascaded from my eyes, the tears shattered upon the console. Waiting with bated breath, his vitals flared up and down. 

“Come on! Come on!” I begged under my breath, Evie cupping my hand. Snapping my head in her direction, true love shimmered in her eyes. Slowing my breathing, the outcome had to be okay. The power flickered out, several complaints echoed throughout the floors. The machine hissed to a stop, the chamber clicking open. Evie tossed me a flashlight, a swift kick breaking the wall into tiny pieces. Making my way into the hot space, actual sweat coated my skin. Dry heaving, the sheer heat tore me apart from the inside. Sinking to my knees in front of the chamber, a rapid heartbeat bounced off the tip of my fingers upon checking on him. Actual tears stained my cheeks, his hand grabbing mine. His eyes fluttered open, a weakened triumphant grin curling across his lips. White claimed his hair, the rich color of his eyes lightening to a silver. Guilt ate at me, a light blue dominating his lips. Stumbling back, everything he touched froze upon a single graze. A cloud danced in the air, ice crystals glistened on his ivory eyelashes. Exhaustion weighed on my eyelids, a rough slumber stealing me away. 

Stirring awake in my bedroom, a calm Master Elements sat by the headboard in a silver suit made of the same rubber materials as my clothes. New silver rubber gloves covered his hands, his silver rubber dress boots not hitting the floor the moment he rushed to my side. One of my masks dangled off of his arm, the guilt returning. The machine was meant to save him not destroy, his arms burying me into a bear hug. Something felt so familiar about it, fuzzy memories of a man similar to him flashed in my mind. Pushing him back, horror mixed with dismay. 

“Yyyyour my actual father!” I stammered while backing into my headboard, my hand slapping his own away. The door hissed open, Emberox sprinted in with the doctor. Shelving the many questions, Emberox knocked him to the other side of the room. Smothering me in a flurry of kisses, the doctor cleared his throat as he rolled up a special ultrasound machine. Evie bounced in, the bed groaning as climbed onto the bed. Plopping onto her knees, excitement twinkled in her eyes. Plugging it in, the doctor hummed while getting it ready. Every breath grew shorter, Emberox picked up on the change in my breathing. Breathing in and out until it steadied, someone in this room had to have a conversation with me. Swinging my feet over the edge of the room, my hand curled around my old man’s. Hovering in the doorway, befuddled expressions met mine. 

“Give me a fucking minute and we can do this.” I barked impatiently, Emberox shooting me an understanding smile. Dragging Master Elements into the closest bathroom, the lock clicked shut behind me. Untying my mask, his own hit the floor.  Choosing not to sink to the darkness of anger, his side of the story had to be told. 

“Explain everything.” I spoke calmly, frozen tears shattering constantly by his boots. “Anger isn’t deserved in our situation. Clearly, something went wrong.” Plopping onto the toilet, his dress shoes clacked until he chose the tub as his seat. Gripping his knees with a newfound anxiety, his lips pressed into a thin line. Struggling to find the words, my hands guided his hand to my bump. The stress melted away, the tender moment was one to be cherished. 

“The government whisked you when you were a baby after you froze an entire building. Alas, you weren’t the sole victim. They bound me to tests for years to change my DNA with the hope of seeing your brother and you again. I tried everything to get to you.” He sobbed uncontrollably, his hands dropping limply to his sides. “Your brother is so much like your mother, angry and abusive. No matter how hard I tried to find you, you were as good as gone. I built this place for you. The room you live in was the first one I built. Sorry for lying but you didn’t seem in a place to listen.” Bowing my head in shame, he wasn’t wrong. For years, the walls that protected me towered over my heart. Grabbing his hands, his wet eyes met mine. None of this was his fault, his visit to the prison meaning so much more. 

“Getting arrested was a good thing, right?” I joked lightly, his natural smile returning. Matching mine to a tee, his arms buried me into a desperate hug. His emotions rolled down my shoulder, my own shattering with his. Hatred would get me nowhere, compassion lighting up the way out. A knock had us popping to our feet, the two of us scrambling to tie on our masks. Opening the door, I poked my head out. Emberox brushed past me, porcelain cracking with the pressure of him pressing Master Elements into the sink. 

“Where the hell do you get off with lying to us all!” He demanded hotly, flames crackling to life along his arms. “She suffered her whole life while you thrived.” Low growls rumbled in my throat, a blast of ice shutting down the confrontation. Both heads snapped in my direction, my brow cocking in disbelief. 

“All of our lives were fucked up by the government. That program we came from wasn’t always bad. It began with good intentions, the rot of greed wrecking its roots.” I pointed out with a twitching snarl underneath my mask, an apology tumbling from Emberox’s lips. “Forget about this for now and let’s see if this child is okay. Yes?” Following me solemnly back to my room, the boys took either side. Life had dealt me another ace in my eyes. Laying back down on the bed, the tired doctor moved up my dress to reveal my bump. Dumping some type of goo onto my bump, the humming of the wand echoed in my ears. The hum became a steady heartbeat, the heartbeats turning into two. Shock rounded my eyes, the room growing silent. No one dared to  speak, mixed emotions flashing in Elements’ eyes. Emberox burst into tears of joy, Evie smashing into his legs. Printing off a long ribbon of ultrasounds, the doctor maneuvered the wand of my bump. 

“It seems we missed another child. Congratulations!” He spoke heartily, his palms pressing together. The shrill ring of his cellphone echoed in the space, the doctor placing the ultrasounds gingerly into my palms. Excusing himself with his machine, the pregnant pause hung in the air. Emberox cleared his throat, pride glistening in his eyes. 

“Life seems like it will be twice as much fun.” He teased with a wink, his hand ripping off a couple of ultrasounds. Offering them to my father, Elements mumbled a shaky thank you. Hugging them to his chest, the heaviness in the room lifted. Asking Evie if she wanted ice cream, her little boots were the last thing I saw. Emberox climbed into bed, his arms clutched me close to his chest. Steam curled into the air, his tears bouncing off of my head. Basking in the warmth of the moment, treasure could be found in the darkness.