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          It has been 3 days since they were admitted to the hospital. Katie returned to school the day before and Charles had just woken up from his coma - which stunned the doctors given the state of his injuries. Ned was recuperating well, just that his muscles felt like they were on fire even with the slightest movement. Though he could hardly complain of his ailments when Charles was in bandages, casts and metal braces.

          The sun was already setting and yet none of them had exchanged a single word the entire day.

          "How you doing Charles?" Ned disturbed the peace.

          ...

          ...

          "How's the view from your bed?"

          "Just don't." Charles replied curtly.

          Ned shuddered on his bed, his instincts of fleeing taking over before all the pain sensors in his body fired off.

          It's no one's fault... We were just immature and still unfamiliar with our abilities... Ned shook his head and resolved; the only way to move past this event and prevent it from ever happening again was to get stronger. But how? They had been training for close to 2 months and their growth was already starting to stagnate.

          That day went by uneventfully and by the next, Ned managed to drag himself out of bed for some fresh air. But when he returned to the room, all the beds were empty.

          Oh shit. How could he possibly move with all those injuries?

          Ned panicked and his eyes darted around the room. Then he noticed the linen curtains flutter in the wind, unveiling a gallant figure standing against the wind.

          Ned stared down at his feet and pulled himself together, he never was the confrontational type, but it was time for a talk. He slowly crept up behind Charles who was standing tall by the ledge, incredibly still and charismatic.

          "Hey, you wanna take a seat or someth..."

          "I'm abandoning my powers for good." Charles interrupted.

          Ned gulped and faltered back, he did not expect such resolve and determination. There was no agitation or impulsiveness in his words, he had clearly thought this through.

          "No one was hurt that bad, I mean look at you, you had it the hardest and you look like you'll be fine in a week or so... We all have things to learn."

          "You don't know the other accidents I've had... I tackled a guy in a game when I was 14, now he has to walk with a limp for the rest of his life. When I was 6, I was playing around with my Dad and I accidentally slapped him out cold. I thought I killed him. No one else saw the incident and everyone assumed he slipped and fell. I carry all that guilt around with me till this day. And now... you...Katie... I realised I haven't apologised yet, it's all on me." Charles's eyes were unwavering, staring into the cityscape.

          "I should've got your back... That's precisely why we can't stop now. We have to learn to control this, become stronger, gain the strength to protect ourselves and each other." Ned said as he tried to inch into Charles view.

          "I DON'T WANT TO GET STRONGER!" Charles snapped.

          "Now I'm trashing cars and you know what? I'm actually confident that if I trained anymore, I'll be smashing right through buildings. If I were to lose control then, who's going to be there to save everyone? You?"

          "No, I can't, not as of now," Ned replied.

          "That's what I thought," Charles shot back.

          "I can't save anyone now. But that doesn't mean I'll stop trying. Maybe I don't have to worry about endangering anyone's lives with my brain. But I'll try my hardest to make sure that it can be used to save those lives. And don't be naive, I'm sure you've figured it out too. We simply can't be the only ones out there. The world is probably going to change in drastic ways, and god knows how many powers will end up manifesting in the wrong hands. When that time comes, I want to be able to use what I have to to make a difference."

          "The only difference you'd make is adding on to the number of bodies that get beat up"

          "...Look Charles, ever heard of how 'You don't drown by falling in water. You drown by staying there.'? We started this journey together. And we'll all be there standing together at the end of the road." Ned concluded and walked out of the conversation with a commendable presence.

          But where was he heading? He could barely take 5 steps before cramping with spasms. "Ah shit, there goes my cool exit," Ned thought before scampering to his bed and pretending to sleep.

          Before the awkwardness suffocated the two, the door swung open with a 'BANG!'. Katie was leaning against the door, gasping for air and covered in sweat.

          "Professor Lewin... He's... He's back!"

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