My light

Receiving Sapphire's call, Susanne's eyes widen. She opens her mouth but doesn't even have time to respond before Sapphire hangs up. Still a bit shocked, Susanne tries to locate Reese. He would definitely want to know about this. Whether or not Gage was out on his own, the Elite still had a certain amount of responsibility for the young man and Reese still looked after him, whether Gage knew it or not.


A familiar voice seems to echo in the darkness like someone calling through a thick fog. Gage reaches out to it, wanting to draw near, almost feeling something like comfort. But no matter how many steps he takes, he doesn't seem to come any closer. The voice was still far away and he was so tired... so tired of trying to reach it. Unmoving, he remains quiet and still.


The sounds of a siren wail through the air as the ambulance races across town. Getting through traffic, it finally arrives at the apartment building, several EMTs getting out and retrieving a stretcher before heading up the three flights of stairs.

Getting to Gage's apartment and being let inside, they make sure they understand everything correctly from Sapphire while checking on Gage, feeling his pulse and looking at his eyes. Speaking amongst themselves, they make quick work of getting Gage onto the stretcher. Words like "overdose" and "malnutrition" seem to be threaded into their initial theories, but they don't express anything to Sapphire directly. Once out in the hall, they head carefully down the stairs.


Hearing all the ruckus, Alec looks out his window, disinterested in the ambulance until he hears them on his floor. Cracking his door, he looks out, now very surprised to see them at Gage's place, then even more so when he sees it's Gage they've come for.

Seeing Sapphire behind the medical team, he slips out into the hall, getting her attention with a touch to the shoulder. "Sapphire? What's going on? What's wrong with Gage?"


Scott doesn't move, but sighs deeply as Hope touches his face. It had been a long time since he'd felt that, and it did feel so good, like some kind of long lost friend. Her plea for forgiveness forces his eyes to meet hers, and for a moment, it seems time slows. His gaze might seem empty to some, with one eye so gray and lifeless... but the other was a window into the very depths of his being, to someone who knew how to read him.

His mind works through her question. Forgiveness was a choice, regardless of any emotions. Deep down, he could still feel the bitter pangs of betrayal. But they weren't as prominent now... not as easily felt, and less likely to surface. Yes, they were still there, but... he could no longer hold her decisions against her.

"You made the right choice," he assures quietly. He closes his eyes, imagining for a moment that they were somewhere other than this dreaded hospital room. "I belonged there... I still do... for a while longer."

After a moment, he opens his eyes again, his voice still soft. "There's nothing to forgive. You have... been my light. Even when... when I locked you out." A new tear rolls down his cheek to land on her hand. "Just hang on... and don't let... don't let that light go out."