Ortus

"Thank God we reached quickly, call the Medical Team ASAP!" Parker screamed. "Madelyn! take Lionel quickly!"

"Yes mam!" Madelyn replied, while pulling Lionel's stretcher.

"We take him from here!" Doctor and medical team assistants told Madelyn, and Madelyn steps aside letting Medical team take injured Lionel.

"Madelyn!" Erik screamed. "What happened to Captain?" he asked.

"He was caught up in a bad explosion." Madelyn replied.

"Always acting reckless, getting hurt, Lionel and his obsession with death and loneliness." Parker said slowly crying.

"Mam!" Naomi came to ask something when she noticed Parker crying. Parker noticed she's caught so she quickly wipes her tears off.

"Yes?" Parker asked.

"I'm sorry to disturb but its urgent." Naomi said.

"Alright lets go." Parker replied and left with Naomi.

On the other side, Doctors and the whole medical team engaged in recovering Lionel.

"His suit pieces got stuck on his skin badly, specially, this Bat symbol locket he wore." one of the doctors said.

"We can remove it surgically." other doctor said.

"Yeah but it mat leave a permanent mark on him." the previous doctor said.

"Does it matter?" the other doctor replied.

"Alright." the first doctor replied.

It took them whole day to remove Lionel's suit pieces that were stuck on him, cleanse his body and treat his wounds. Knowing Lionel, they kept him unconscious using sedatives as they know once he gets up, he leaves.

"The cowl pieces pierced through his face when he was caught up in the explosion or when he hit the ground. That led to a scar on his face." The first doctor said.

"Other than that, his back has suffered a lot, already because once he hurt his back once when he faced the Nemean. Also he has suffered cartilage injury. He is advised not to do anything reckless like he did this time else he may be handicapped next time." The other doctor said.

"I see. How much time will he take to recover though?" Parker asked.

"Few weeks." The first doctor said.

"Lets hope for him to be better soon." The other doctor said.

"Yes. Thank you for your help doctors." Parker said before leaving.

The doctors bow and leave.

"You can come out Madelyn." Parker said. Madelyn comes out from her hiding space silently.

"Your concern and dedication for him looks well." Parker said trying to smile, holding back her tears.

"You can let them out." Madelyn said.

"You too." Parker said letting a tear drop leave her eye. Tear drops started coming out of Madelyn's eye.

"He will be better, don't worry much." Naomi said, appearing behind Parker. She hugged Parker and Madelyn, while they both cried.

Few Weeks Later

"How's the Members' training going on?" Parker asked Naomi, in her office.

"Pretty good, however, fall of Captain created fear, nervousness, lack of self confidence. They think that if someone like Captain can fall, what will happen to them?" Naomi replied.

"Nothing is going on right. What shall we do now? If only Emmett was here. We could've been in a much better state. (Looking at Emmett's photo and sighing) Why did you make me the Commander Emmett, I don't feel I am appropriate for it." Parker said. Naomi started caressing Parker's head. "And now, even Lionel is down. I feel lonelier." Parker continued, "Whenever I think nothing can go much worse, worst happens. I feel so tired. Now even Lionel is away, can't I be happy, not even for once?"

Naomi hugs Parker and begins, "Sometimes we may not get things we want and we feel frustrated because of that. You know how I liked Renneth, but turns out he was never interested in me. However, later it turns out he was a traitor. I felt really bad, hurt, betrayed and what not. I felt like nothing can be worse than this, when I got to know that every soldier died in the battle against the Tyrants, due to the conspiracy of Tyrants' Father and Renneth-Blake." Tear started flowing from Naomi's eyes.

Parker hugged back Naomi and said, "Thank you for being my side. I am very grateful to have a friend like you."

"Likewise." Naomi said.

On the other side, Madelyn was busy in the Training Room, even though it was post training time. Jacob and Aaron were going to check on her, when they find Erik on the way to the Training Room as well.

"Erik? Where are you going?" Aaron asked.

"To Madelyn." Erik replied.

"Oh, we were going the same way as well." Aaron said.

"Great, lets tag along then." Erik said.

The three reach the Training Room, where they see the dark room, with only one light on, where Madelyn was punching a bag. While entering, they saw a fallen log which had a fine cut, seems like Madelyn cut it with her sword. When they reached near her, they saw Madelyn exhausted, drenched in her sweat. Jacob couldn't take off his eyes from her, but controlled somehow.

"Madelyn, I pray you, please take a break at least." Aaron said.

"Yeah, you haven't eaten since many hours, didn't drunk water, what will happen if you fall next?" Jacob said.

Madelyn didn't pay a heed to their word.

"Jacob, Aaron, would you mind going out for a while?" Erik said.

"Erik?" Jacob asked in confusion.

"Please?" Erik asked.

Seeing a dead serious look on his face, Aaron and Jacob leaves the room. Seeing this Madelyn stops.

"Now Madelyn. Tell me what's wrong? Even though I know, I want to hear it from you." Erik asks.

"I have no problem, please excuse me." Madelyn said in a tough voice.

"If that's the case, then why aren't you eating or taking rest?" Erik asked.

"As I don't want to, now excuse me." Madelyn replied stubbornly and went back to approach the punching bag when Erik came in between.

"What!?" Madelyn asked enraged.

"Would Captain like seeing you this way?" Erik asked calmly.

Madelyn went silent.

"He cares for his soldiers a lot, if they don't care for themselves, we both know how angry he becomes. You like that?" Erik asked again.

Madelyn stood silently looking down.

"Better." Erik said and went near the sitting area to bring a bottle of water. "Drink this" he said.

Madelyn started drinking and within few seconds, the bottle was empty.

"Come, enough training for today. Lets go and eat something before I assign you a job you'd love to do." Erik said embracing Madelyn.

Madelyn started crying, like a baby. Erik started caressing her hair. Few minutes later, they come out and go towards cafeteria along with Jacob and Aaron.

After completing the meal, Erik told Madelyn to take a bath since she's sweaty and oily due to the over excess training she did, which Madelyn obliged, and when she was done, Erik gave her an important task, which Parker gave to him.

"Madelyn, I would like to ask you to do something." Erik said.

"Yes?" Madelyn asked.

"I have an important task, which I would like you to do." Erik replied.

"If its your task, you must do." Madelyn said.

"I would've, but if only it wasn't related to Captain." Erik said.

Hearing these, a sudden energy charge up occurred in Madelyn that was visible in her eyes. She pleaded Erik to tell what it is.

"Go to his room and arrange his suit pieces and weapons." Erik said.

Madelyn stood their silently thinking there will be something more, but there wasn't. It created an awkward tension between them.

Finally she asked, "That's it?"

He replied, "Yes."

"Why would I do so?" Madelyn asked in an irritated tone.

"Coz I don't want to do it, moreover, you get to go in the room of the man of your dreams, touch the very suit, wearing which he saved you, its like an offer for you, and you're more into Shirogane culture than me, hence, you seem a very good candidate for this." Erik said.

Aaron facepalmed while Jacob was shaking his head, while sighing.

"Fine, I'll do it." Madelyn said in a normal tone, but inside, she was happy to go to Lionel's room.

On the other side, Lionel suddenly opens his eyes. The nurses taking care of him got scared. One of them tried to stop him by saying he should rest but Lionel doesn't listen. He gets up, but stumbles and falls. He started pulling himself and somehow reach his room.

"Mam, Captain woke up and left for his room." one of the nurses informed Parker.