Stu was on the phone was Elina as she was screaming out her frustration at him. Alia couldn’t really talk to him as he calmed her with soft words. Neither had really brought up the topic of Elina the whole time while they were together. Alia hadn’t told Stu her opinion of her and she honestly didn’t think he wanted her opinion.

Supers, Alia thought to herself, somethings about them are so strange. It was like Stu was the hero constantly saving everyone, even though he hardly had any time for himself. If only there was a way she could avoid becoming another one of his burdens.

Emmie was sitting up in bed having lunch when they reached her hospital room. A nurse was asking her questions to test her mental state. After Emmie answered each question a blue aura emitted from her head that the nurse seemed to be more interested in than the answers to the questions themselves. Emmie was also encased in a plastic like material that Alia could only think of comparable to the protective wrapping around men’s suits. Probably to mitigate the effect of her causing harm to the medical staff.

Stu turned to the nurse. “Is it safe for Alia to be around her while the witness is being questioned?”

The nurse snorted. He crossed his huge arms. “This is probably the safest place in the city for a non-Super. Alia is also the first human to get serum so she can keep up with us. Even if there is an accident her biology would sustain little to no damage.”

Alia exchanged glanced with Stu. “Good to know,” she finally said. ‘According to the report I read beforehand the patient was in a coma so what are her systems that have been observed after she woke up.’

The nurse peeled off his gloves as he washed instruments in the sink. “She has limited understanding of situations and when she was probed before she immediately tried to self-destruct which caused the Super to be unable to provide a reason for her jumping. The methodology we use now is old school which is why you two were called in.”

Alia laid her purse on the side counter and washed her hands before seating herself next to Emmie.

“Hello mam, my name is Alia and this is my friend Stu. We both wanted to ask you some questions. Is that ok?”

Emmie stopped mid bite and turned to Alia. “I like your eyes. Normal ones.”

Stu took out a notebook and a pen. He gestured to Alia to ask the questions. He had prompted her beforehand with a list of things he wanted to know about the situation as well as gaps in the investigative reports.

“Can you tell me about your daughter? Do you remember her? Her name was Dura.”

“Where is Dura? She liked bunnies in the book and she always had bruises.”

“Where did she have bruises?”

Emmie looked up, her eyes unfocused. “On her arms. He bruised her The man would come but Dura wouldn’t smile.”

“Mam, did Dura know the man before that night?”

Emmie clutched her head and the nurse rushed into the room. He pulled Alia and Stu out of the room before Emmie screamed. “I DON”T KNOW WHAT I DON”T KNOW.” Alia felt a piece of debris fly past her face and Stu clutched her close to him. He angled her away from the impact as Emmie exploded. His arms loosened and Alia stepped away from him. She turned away from him when she saw a blonde waif in a patient’s gown.

Nurses rushed into Emmie’s room to sedate her while she raged.

The waif had tears dripping down her face as her eyes met Stu’s. He immediately put more distance between himself and Alia. He reached an arm toward her. “Elina, I can explain.”

She snapped. “What can you explain? You were supposed to help me. Why are you saving her? She doesn’t even need you.”

“Elina, I’m at work, I can’t just stop working on a case because you’re having issues with your parents. I’m not a therapist, if you can’t support me then this isn’t working.”

“Did it ever?” Elina’s hands lit up with static as she made a hole in a wall before storming off.

Alia for once, was very glad she was not a Super.