Evelyn felt the sai get pulled away, hardly aware she actually hit Sam with it. But the flicker of information was there. This wasn't just a ghost she was trying to scare away. There was a moment where she thought she could see him yelling at her. Then she shut her eyes tight and curled against Gawain. Her head hurt. She didn't want to be here anymore. She was confused and she just wanted the rest of the noise to go away. The echoes, the playbacks, the splashes of memory. She moved her hands from her head to her ears as if that would tune out the rest of the chaos. No luck. It was all in her head.

Except for Sam. He was cold and silent like the rest of reality. Even though he was angry.

She needed to sleep again. The playbacks were obviously confused. She was confused. She muttered under her breathe about her head hurting and wanting everything to shut up. She needed to think.

Evelyn managed to stab Sam who proceeded to yell something, and say what Gawain thought looked like "women." It did not make sense though, fighting an overpowered sonic mutant and then getting knocked out just to have your own mutant powers scramble your pain and then stab at whoever approaches you that you thought was dead did not sound like a typical women's problem.

Gawain sighed and held Evelyn as tight as he could while they waited for the cops and DocProf to show. They all had wounds to heal now, and there was a lot to talk about, once everyone got their hearing back.

Time Jump

Gawain sat on the Infirmary bed, slowly getting used to having his hearing and balance back again. DocProf healed him first since most of his injuries were pretty straightforward, and he left some bruises as usual to teach him a lesson about hunting down known murderers without backup.

Evelyn, lying on the other bed, was still out. Gawain was worried about her. DocProf healed her injuries, but he could not do much about the echoes and the playbacks. She would just have to sort that out herself.

As for Sam, Sam was... somewhere. Once the cops showed, things got confusing really fast. Hopefully he would eventually show up to clear things up. Or at least to get the stab wound healed...

Limping in to the infirmary Sam looked from Doc who was now healing Eve to Gawain. Sam smirked slightly towards Gawain, a ‘glad you are alive’ smirk and then hobbled over to the nearest bed, which was across from the pair getting healed. He didn’t lie down but rather sat facing the wall just for a second as he inhaled and exhaled, he knew this was going to be a headache one that beer would solve but now wasn’t the time for beer. He did just come back from the dead after. Answers first then a little celebrating.

”How is she?” Sam asked allowed to any who would answer. The look of concern he gave for a moment was replaced with one with irritation. ”What they hell did you two think you were doing anyways?” Sam asked fixing his eye on the gender bender. ”You two would have died if I didn’t get there when I did.” it wasn’t meant to sound as insulting as it was. Gawain and Eve were more than capable to handle the everyday crook or thief however while they were trained to deal with that, Leo was in Sam’s opinion far more dangerous.

”Oh, yeah…. I’m alive by the way.” Sam caught Doc shaking his head and muttering something under his breath as he continued to heal the blonde one. Sam then proceeded to unwrap the bandage around his leg, which was spotted by his own blood. The ice was still there its just explaining what happened to everyone at the crime scene made it a little difficult to keep his focus on his injury.

Head injuries and mental powers don't go well together.

Most of the events got fuzzy until they got back to the mansion. She could recognize the scent of the hospital wing, but drifted in and out of consciousness for a while until Doc Prof started healing her. The sudden intrusion of noise made her whimper and try to scoot away. There was already enough chaos in her head, she didn't want to deal with more sounds too.

”Oh, yeah…. I’m alive by the way.” [Sam's voice.] It couldn't be him. They said he was dead. That was what started this mess in the first place. She frowned, curiosity forcing her to settle and let her hearing come back all the way. There were flashes of Sam from the alleyway. Dead Leo. The cold. It felt like an hallucination, but the echoes were trying to convince her it was real. Why would they put her through that if he wasn't dead after all? She could feel Doc Prof's attention move to the wound on her head, which temporarily distracted her again. As her head healed, her mind started to think more clearly, moving things, sorting them, re-aligning time between the past and the present.

Sam was there. Gawain was there. She knew the voices. Her eyes opened slowly and verified it. Rather than feeling relieved, she just felt betrayed. She rolled over and faced away from the ice mutant. She wasn't ready to talk to him yet.

>>”How is she?”

Gawain shrugged and made a little motion with his head towards DocProf. That was a question for him. Of course he was worried - he always worried about Evelyn, especially when she got head wounds - but she was in the best hands possible. The rest was up to the healer, and her own powers.

>>"What they hell did you two think you were doing anyways? You two would have died if I didn’t get there when I did... Oh, yeah…. I’m alive by the way.”

Gawain's attention snapped back to Sam, and he rolled his eyes.

"Here we go." he groaned, sliding off the bed to walk over to Sam "You unbe-f****-lievable, incredible dense m*****."

The punch was kind of half-hearted, but it did land on Sam's jaw.

"How about telling us ya ain't dead before we go off to take revenge for your sorry *ss, huh?!"

Startled at first Sam responded back to Gawain with the same tone of voice, ”Oh, I’m sorry here I thought I was preventing an attack on the mansion by faking my death!” Sam sighed slightly and ran his fingers through his hair. ”I was dead, at least they said I died. Shin found me a healer. Only a hand few of people knew. Shin, Streak, Doc. A few others figured it out.” Sam said not pointing out that three other people discovered him. Were, Athena and Victoria. All of who responded by punching him usually around the face.

”We figured it be best to keep the illusion I was dead. Safer for everyone. No one else would have gotten hurt till we could find the two that tried offing me.” Sam said looking to Doc, ”I’m sure everyone wanted to say something but.” Sam shrugged again and Doc remained silent for the most part focusing on Eve.

”No one asked you to get revenge and the fact of the matter is I’m a little upset you two decided to go off on your own and try to take down a known killer. One you two obviously weren’t ready for.” Sam looked back to Gawain, ”I didn’t spend a few years training you to go looking for a fight you weren’t ready for. I thought you would have known better.” Sam lifted his leg and put it on the table, ”We weren’t sure who attacked me, and I just wanted to make sure it wasn’t a T.A.T. thing.” Sam said referring to his recent mind control and kidnapping and life altering mind **** that took place.

Evelyn listened silently as Sam and Gawain exchanged words. Rage surfaced again as her thoughts cleared, and his logical explanation of what happened came out. Pretend to be dead to keep the mansion safe, that was his grand idea. And then it was their fault for taking on a killer they weren't prepared for. While it was true, they had been prepared for a fight, the end result was only half their fault. Hunting to identify a guy was one thing. The actual battle wasn't exactly the way they might have planned it.

She wanted to argue they could have handled it if they brought more throwing stars or had a better place to face the buy. Instead, her brain looped around the first part of the conversation she heard. And those thoughts lingered instead.

"You faked your death, and put everyone else through hell. What do you expect, everyone to just forgive and forget? Wait, some of us can't." The words were icy, angry, hurt. Doc Prof shushed her, and tried to keep her still to finish what he was doing. The pain in her head didn't seem to be going away though. All her emotions were just making it worse.

>>”Oh, I’m sorry here I thought I was preventing an attack on the mansion by faking my death! I was dead, at least they said I died. Shin found me a healer. Only a hand few of people knew. Shin, Streak, Doc. A few others figured it out.”

Gawain frowned as they backed off, he was not going to hit Sam again. He was still pissed, but mostly bruised and tired. Knowing that others knew and he didn't made him feel a lot worse, though.

>>”We figured it be best to keep the illusion I was dead. Safer for everyone. No one else would have gotten hurt till we could find the two that tried offing me. I’m sure everyone wanted to say something but.”

"Well, people did get hurt." Gawain muttered. In that regard, it was not exactly a master plan.

>>”No one asked you to get revenge and the fact of the matter is I’m a little upset you two decided to go off on your own and try to take down a known killer. One you two obviously weren’t ready for. I didn’t spend a few years training you to go looking for a fight you weren’t ready for. I thought you would have known better.”

Gawain didn't like being scolded, especially not when his righteous frustration and anger was being turned around on him. He opened his mouth to argue when Evelyn piped up from the other bed.

>>"You faked your death, and put everyone else through hell. What do you expect, everyone to just forgive and forget? Wait, some of us can't."

DocProf clicked his tongue and shushed the girl, and Gawain glanced over, still worried she would try to get up and stab Sam again, just for good measure. But at least she was awake now, and sounding more pissed than hurt.

"Well, next time you fake your death I'd appreciate to be included in the chosen few. What did you think exactly, that I was gonna sit on my *ss and so nothing about it? And you're sayin I should've known better than that?"

Sam and Gawain had known each other for a long time. Apparently, they still made bad judgement calls about each other's thinking.

"Also, we didn't go out to hunt. We went out to look at the scene and see what Eve could pick up. I'm not that dumb to go in blind."

Eve seemed to be more upset than Gawain. A sudden burning sensation filled the hole in his leg where she stabbed him earlier. It made sense Gawain could understand at least from the kind of lifestyle they had been living. He knew a lot more about his past than Eve did it would only make sense that Gawain wasn’t as angry. At least he hid it better. He was sure Gawain would say something later. ”I’m sorry you had to go through that Evee.” Sam said trying to apologize and make some amends for what she in particular had to go through.

”It is however something that will happen at some point, I’d like to pretend that we are all un-killable but we are human. More resilient and more resourceful than some but still killable.” Sam knew this wouldn’t make the fact that he hid anything from them any easier but he looked to Gawain, ”You know my past and how easily it could just pop up and something like what happened a few months ago happen again. While I’ll never be controlled like that again,” Sam paused thinking about the extra precautions he put into his training in the artic before he continued.

”I wanted to find out or find who tried killing me and why. They had no problem taking out a city block trying to kill me you really think I wanted them to come to the mansion with more of their kind ready to off me? No, so I had to fake my death.” Sam said sighing, ”Shin, Streak and I thought it be safer that way. For everyone.” Sam’s eye fixed on Gawain, ”You and I have been closer for a few years now, you really think you pretending that I was dead would pass? I needed you all to think I was dead and show it. That way who ever attacked me could see it was true on your faces.”

With an over exaggerated sigh added, ”If I knew either one of you would have done what you had done I would have filled you in.” Sam looked to Gawain once again, ”You should have thought better about going to the scene of my death I had a feeling loudmouth was the type of ego driven killer to go back to the scene of the murder and relive it. Why do you think I was so close?” Sam said gesturing to his tattered clothing.

”I’m sorry you had to go through that Evee.”

The anger was spreading like acid. He was saying things but she didn't believe him. She couldn't even feel relieved he was alive, all she could feel was betrayal. She clenched her teeth and shut her eyes, trying to tune out the excuses. The reasoning. That's all there ever was. Reasoning. Echoes and facts and analysis and information. He was talking, but she didn't feel he was really sorry. She didn't feel guilt. She didn't feel like he really understood what he'd done. She tried to sit up, and Doc Prof quickly put out a hand to keep her down. She snarled over her shoulder instead.

"You're sorry I had to go through that. Tell that to me in two weeks. Tell that to me in two months, two years. I may have to go through that anytime I fall asleep, anytime I get injured. It won't go away, Sam. You may have your reasons, but don't expect to screw around with my head and expect me to be relieved it was all just part of the plan. It doesn't just go away. You can't just say my bad and scold us for trying to do something about it." The memories were pressing at the back of her thoughts, trying to push forward again. She stopped talking and tried to control her thoughts. She wasn't ready to fall back asleep quite yet.

Sam went on to explain his reasons for not telling Gawain and Eve that he was alive, and all those reasons pretty much amounted to not trusting them to not give the plan away. Gawain frowned and folded his arms, but before he got to react, Evelyn tried to sit up and yelled at Sam for providing her with painful memories that will never go away. Doc pushed her back down, but she was obviously quite pissed.

"It's not just about how we felt" he added, deciding that if Sam was listing reasons, he would too "But we are on the team, heck I'm a team leader, and you made a decision to let some people know and not others. You should have known better. Mostly for Eve because she's gotta live with the memory, but also because, heads up for next time, if someone kills one of my very few friends I'm likely to go find the bastard. I get it that it was an executive decision, but it wasn't a very good one."

Sam closed his eye for a second as he tried to keep his cool, as a result of that the air in the infirmary started to become chiller as Eve continued to yell at him. He waited till she was done before he inhaled and yelled back at her ”Don’t pretend you’re the only one with bad memories.” Sam had been having his own version of playbacks, only they were dreams and nightmares phantoms he had a feeling he’d live with the rest of his life thanks to Amanda and her mind games.

The thought of her and what she put him through just made him angrier. ”I’m sorry princess, I’m gonna make you relive something like that over and over again. I did die however and I will die somewhere down the line. People like me don’t have long live.” his fist clenched and he found himself looking back at Gawain and his eye was fixed on him.

If Gawain tried to punch him again Sam would have decked him right back maybe even tenfold. He was getting a good strike but it wouldn’t have been enough to knock Sam out and hitting someone was exactly what Sam wanted to do. ”Like it or not you aren’t that high up on the team roster. Shin, Streak and I all decided it was better for everyone. We decided that because we have the most experience.” Sam looked to Doc, ”he was there too.” he pointed a finger but then regretted it as Doc looked back to Sam, ”You want that leg healed?” he went back to healing Eve and left it at that.

”Look,” Sam took a breath and breathed, letting his control over the air around them get back to normal before he added, ”Be pissed at me all you want. Just don’t pretend I wanted this to happen in the first place.” he left it at that for now his rage starting to boil down again instead of boiling over.

The room felt colder, but Sam's words were even icier than the temperature. His anger pushed away hers, and all that was left was pain. Her shoulders slumped slightly, and she stared at the wall. The words just cut deeper into her and stuck there.

"Don’t pretend you’re the only one with bad memories. I’m sorry princess, I’m gonna make you relive something like that over and over again."

"You had a choice to say something, and you didn't. You had someone feed you lies and you believed them, and suffered because of what she did. True, you've had bad memories. And you still chose to put us through that. I don't care what rank we were, I trusted you. I believed in you. And you couldn't do the same." She pulled her legs close and shut her eyes. That couldn't block out the pain she was feeling though.

>>”Like it or not you aren’t that high up on the team roster. Shin, Streak and I all decided it was better for everyone. We decided that because we have the most experience. he was there too.”

Gawain stepped back, visibly hurt by Sam's words and what they were implying. The mirrorwalker even surprised himself by having such a strong reaction. To get offended by not being "that important" on the team felt like something a spoiled brat would do, but it hurt none the less.

None of this was working out.

>>"You had a choice to say something, and you didn't. You had someone feed you lies and you believed them, and suffered because of what she did. True, you've had bad memories. And you still chose to put us through that. I don't care what rank we were, I trusted you. I believed in you. And you couldn't do the same."

Ouch.
Evelyn sounded tired and hurt more than angry now. DocProf was done healing her and stepped aside. Gawain started to realize that however it hurt him to be dismissed as a less important member of the team - heck less important to Sam somehow - Evelyn was probably, accidentally hurt even more in the process. And not just because of the playbacks.

"Whatever. You're the boss." he muttered, turning away from Sam to help Evelyn up "We'll leave you to the important stuff. Sure you've got a lot to plan with Shin and Streak. Maybe next time they'll get to your killer before we do."

It wasn’t working out the way he wanted it too everything was being taken too personally. Gawain took offense to his comments which was understandable but it was somewhat true. His death was on a need to know basis and while Gawain was one of his best friends Sam knew keeping him in the dark about his death was for the best. Still he felt bad about it now. Before he could say anything to Gawain Eve started off on him again and he just sat there his thoughts racing. With his hands on his leg he was white knuckling his legs even the one that was stabbed. Blood started to poor out of the hole a little before he focused on icing it over again.

Forget getting healed. Sam stood up and started to limp to the door without letting Doc heal him. He didn’t want to be around these two right now. He’d see Doc later. Once Gawain had turned his back Sam debated hitting him like he normally did. However it wasn’t a normal happy experience they were having. Sam now angry that Eve had told him that he simply believed some lies. It was more than that. They were his family. He had his wife and two kids, ghosts of a time that never existed and he had lived full lives with them over and over again. He even witnessed their deaths. Thinking on it made the room cold. Everything cold.

Sam sighed, ”Doc… I’ll be back later.” limping out of the room he exited the sliding glass doors and put his fist through the nearest dry wall before wishing he didn’t he’d have to fix it later. Wasn’t a big deal though, just time consuming. He’d fix it later. He’d fix everything later, including his relationship with the two he now felt he betrayed.