"We don't have the equipment to fully evaluate your injury," Ezra started. "But we have the next best handsomely hilarious thing . . . me!"

"What?" Autumn sniffled.

"I-I . . . well see I . . . Sorry, I thought that was funny . . . Now thinking about it this is probably the worst time to make a joke." He shook his head, clasping Autumn's wrist. Her arm wasn't outstretched completely; that was too painful for her. "I'm sorry."

"Its fine." Autumn didn't have the pep in her voice she usually did.

"We don't uhm," Ezra cleared his throat and viewed her arm. "We don't have any machines to look at your arm but I . . . well . . . you have me."

"Okay?" Autumn shifted uneasily on the table as Ezra removed his glasses and set them on his desk. He inhaled deeply while simultaneously shutting his eyes. Autumn was unbelievably nervous. She knew what he was about to do and her last encounter with someone's powers landed her here.

Ezra was motionless for a couple of seconds before he began to delicately run his hand up and down the length of her arm. He then gradually opened them, a golden cloud overcoming his iris's. It was the same beautiful color that had overcome Tate when he had revealed his gift to Autumn.

She thought back to when she'd first woken up in what Tate had then referred to as 'HQ' but was actually officially called 'Base Station'. Just a glimpse into this new world had cost her so much. She reflected on the simplicity of her life before Tate Brechbuhl.

No chaos, no trouble, and no fear that at any moment she'd be pounced on and beaten. In that moment, Autumn desired nothing more than to go back to that day in the store and follow the crowd out of one of the exits.

"It's fractured," Ezra observed, breaking Autumn from her thoughts. The hypnotic color dissipated as Ezra blinked forcefully a few times as if attempting to return his vision to normal. He stumbled backward ever so slightly and gripped the counter.

"You can . . . see through things?" Autumn draped an arm over her chest. Ezra breathlessly chuckled, shaking his head.

"I can see through skin. I can't see through clothes, you're safe." Autumn dropped her arm. Ezra sank into his stool, visibly flushed.

"Are you alright?" Autumn questioned once he pinched his nose.

"Yeah," he shooed her away. "Just a side effect." He placed his glasses on his nose and threw open the lowest cabinet. He was clearly digging for something as he moved onto the next cabinet.

Autumn tried to focus on Ezra, not wanting to get stuck in her thoughts. However, she couldn't help but get lost. Her thoughts consumed her and, before she knew it, Autumn was reflecting on her family. She missed the way her mother would tease her stepfather.

She missed the way her stepfather would pout, his eyes narrowing as he made such an effort not to laugh. Of course, he failed every time and ending up laughing so hard his face would match that of a tomato.

Autumn mulled over her final phone call with her mother.

Autumn's least favorite thing about her mother had always been how ditzy she was. She believed anything anyone would tell her and trusted everyone. Autumn could then see that resemblance in her. She had been dumb enough to convince herself she would be safe here.

"I had to dig around for a bit, but I did manage to find this," Ezra snatched a sling from one of the higher cabinets, knocking a few pill bottles down with it. The sound of them clashing to the ground made Autumn jump.

Ezra circled around Autumn, standing in front of her. He carefully pushed the sling over her arm. Ezra adjusted it a few times, sliding it forward and backwards to some extent so the sling was perfect.

Flicking some hair from her shoulder, Ezra reached around and drew the strap around her neck and through the loop. Autumn's arm moved with the strap and, as he tightened it, she hissed.

She was broken; physically and emotionally damaged. The image of Tate, whose face was engulfed in horror, wouldn't leave her mind. He hadn't meant to do it, Autumn was sure of that. Nonetheless, she knew his mindset. He had a tendency to blame himself when something happened to her.

She could still see the pain in his eyes, the quick glances at her side when he was sure she wasn't looking.

Then again, why was she pitying him? He had promised to protect her and instead had broken her. Autumn mentally slapped herself. Those thoughts weren't right nor were they fair.

"There we go," Ezra grinned. He strode over toward his table, snatched a tissue from the box, and offered it to Autumn. She hadn't even realized she'd started to cry. Then again, it had become second nature since she'd arrived.

She blew her nose and Ezra raised the trash can in order for her to throw it away.

"I shouldn't be here." Autumn peered at her thumbs as she twiddled them. "All I've caused is trouble."

"Hey." Ezra's voice was composed and soothing. "You can't afford to think like that." Ezra leapt up onto the observation table and Autumn scooted over so they could sit side by side.

"I mean, it's all true. Since the moment Tate brought me here all I've done is-is gotten him in trouble an-an-an branded." Ezra was the first person she'd been able to confide in in so long she couldn't contain anything.

"That's not true. You've . . . you've made Tate smile again." Autumn froze, eyeing Ezra.

"What do you mean?" Ezra avoided looking at her as if he'd realized something that needed to stay hidden.

"Tate has," Ezra paused. "He's been through a lot. And, he's taken all of those things pretty hard. Something happened a few years back, and he . . . he still hasn't moved on. After that happened Tate just stopped being . . . Tate." Autumn was shocked. She hadn't seen any signs of bitterness in Tate at all. "You know, between us, he was worse than Clarke."

"Really?"

"Yeah. He was just so . . . angry. All he did was work and sleep. His life was just so empty." Autumn knew Tate had lost his father, and it was obvious that he hadn't been able to adjust to it.

She couldn't imagine what other event could have created such a darkness inside of him.

"And then you came along." The two stared at one another. "Autumn, you gave him a reason to get up in the morning. You . . . you gave him something to fight for." Autumn puffed out a gush of air, a strand swaying. "What?"

"He uh . . ." Autumn swallowed the lump in her throat, gaping at her sling. "Told me that."

"And you didn't believe him?" Ezra speculated.

"I guess not." Autumn bit her lip.

The two sat in silence for a moment but it wasn't awkward. The silence was almost comforting; tranquil. Being able to sit there and think together was oddly special. "You know," Autumn ended up breaking the silence a few minutes later. "Clarke told me something about you."

"Let me guess, she thinks I'm using you as a guinea pig. Trust me, she's made that very clear e. She tends to mutter it under her breath anytime I'm around." The irritated expression plastered on Ezra's face made Autumn guffawed. Her laugh was contagious,

Clarke kicked the door open and stormed inside, ceasing their laughter within a second. Her face was engulfed in something Autumn had never seen on Clarke before; fear. Her eyes were wide and sweat dripped down her forehead as she panted.

"Did you find him?" Ezra grilled, soaring off the table.

"No!" Clarke howled, running a hand through her hair. "Can . . . can you come help look? The council can't find out about this." Ezra peered at Autumn over his shoulder, his eyes saying: Go find him.

Some portion of Autumn didn't want to. She just wanted to go home and leave Tate and everyone else behind. Even so, another part of her was screaming in worry. Autumn's mind was racing as millions of voices and separate thoughts sounded at once.

Find him. You are friends.

He hurt you, who cares?

You care about him, go on!

Look!

He tried to kill you.

You know that's not true.

Than why did he do it?

One voice towered over all of them, it chanting over and over: Sometimes, you need a little pain.

"I'll go." The words quite literally fell out of her mouth. She drove herself off the table, joining Ezra and Clarke's huddle by the door.

"I don't think that's such a good idea," Clarke showed her opposition breathlessly.

"I'm coming." Autumn put her foot down, refusing to stand down. She hadn't had this fire in her belly before.

"Fine." Clarke spun around and withdrew from the room.

"Good luck." Ezra set a supportive hand on her back. Autumn darted after Clarke, stepping out into the hall. "Wait!" Ezra called. Autumn whirled around, Ezra jogging down the hall towards her.

"What?" Her tone was impatient. Ezra swept Autumn into a hug. The hug was gentle, Ezra making sure not to add too much pressure against her arm. Autumn was taken aback yet the hug felt right. Ezra pulled away, a slight grin on his face. "What was that for?"

"Thank you." With that Ezra disappeared into his office.

"Are you coming!?" Clarke screeched. Autumn sprinted down the hall after her. As soon as she was at her side, Autumn slowed her pace down to a fast walk. They trekked through the maze of halls, ending up in front of Autumn's room.

David and Jade hurried down the hall from Cade's end, Jade's necklace bouncing up and down as she came to a stop in front of them.

"Did you find him?" Clarke inquired in a hopeful tenor.

"No," David responded, exasperated.

"We looked everywhere," Jade frowned. "David looked on this floor, the seventh and the sixth. I searched the fifth, fourth and third. Those are the only places he would go." Clarke and Jade started to argue, Clarke accusing her of not looking hard enough.

Autumn tried to think of where he could be. Obviously, they would have had to of checked his room, Cade's office and the cafeteria. The only other place she had been in was the museum. They had to of checked that already.

Autumn thought hard. When they had gone, she and Tate had traveled down a bunch of stairs. When they had reached their floor, Autumn recalled not seeing another staircase.

They had to have been on the first floor.

"I know where he is," Autumn proclaimed. Clarke and Jade sustained their argument, David holding Jade back. Autumn's heart began pounding in her chest. She knew what she had to do, she was terrified to do it.

Be brave. Be brave.

Autumn repeated those words over and over in her head. Taking in a deep breath, she treaded away. They didn't even notice Autumn leave.

Her hand was quaking as she tore down the hall. Hurtling down the stairway, disregarding the pain in her arm, she reached the stairway. Before entering, she watched the guard. He had no clue she was there, his back always to her.

Thankful for her minimal amount of luck, her dashed down the stairs. They felt as if they lasted forever but, eventually, she made it to the end.

Peeping through the tiny rectangle of glass, she recognized Tate. He was sitting across from his father's picture.

Setting her back against the wall, Autumn caught her breath. She was anxious, fearful, muddled, and despairing. But she needed to do this. Tate had given everything for her, it was time for her to do something for him.

Autumn cracked open the door just enough for her to fit through. Tate didn't even notice her presence. His tearful gaze never broke away from his father. She cautiously walked forward, the door slamming behind her. Tate's head snapped in her direction.

"Tate-"

"You shouldn't be here." He advised.

"Tate please."

"Go Autumn!" He shouted. "Can't you see that all I'm ever going to do is hurt you!?" He had never yelled at her before and though she knew the fury wasn't directed at her, it still hurt. "I'm a monster, and that's all I'm ever going to be." The volume of his tone of voice dropped to almost a whisper.

"You are not a monster." He scoffed and returned to viewing the portrait of his father. she stepped forward.

"Go away," he growled through gritted teeth.

"Tate, you can't- "

"Don't," he cut her off.

"This wasn't your fault."

"Wasn't my fault?" He questioned, glaring in her direction. "Look what I did to you! It doesn't matter if this wasn't an accident or not! One moment I lost control! I could have . . ." He paused, puffing. "I could have killed you!"

"But you didn't!" She bellowed, irritated that she had kept getting interrupted. "You've . . . you've saved me so many times."

Tate didn't say a word.

"You could have left me under that shelf. You could have left me to bleed out at the store but you didn't." Tate's face pinched as he fought the urge to cry.

"Why me?" He croaked out. "Why me!?" He kicked the wall again and again.

"Sometimes bad things happen to good people and-"

"I'm not a person!" He interjected. "I'm not human! This-this stuff doesn't happen to me! Ever since you showed up I-I-I can't think straight!" He dug his fingers into his palm. "My father would be ashamed of me."

Autumn hesitated, allowing her fright to control her. After reminding herself of all the good Tate had brought into her life, she trudged toward him. Autumn unhurriedly sunk to the floor next to him.

"That's not true. You are a good person." Tate didn't correct her for saying 'person'. In fact, he didn't even comment on it. "You . . ." she waited until he looked her directly in the eyes. "You are my hero."