Once the steel doors close behind me, I notice that we're in what I'm assuming to be their bedroom. Instead of orienting myself with this new room, I breathe out, "Thank you, Steven." I then release a breath I didn't know that I was holding in since I laid my gaze upon the dark blue solution.

Steven nods, smiling softly. Then he frowns when he says, "That was a close one, Fitz. Good thing you transmitted to me when you did... Wait- is your scar still there?"

Nodding, I unbutton my shirt until the scar is prominently visible. After fastening the buttons again, I say, "It hasn't gone away, even though it's been a year. But I've been really cautious to not go near nebmentia." I shudder slightly at how close I was to the solution.

"Does Sophie or the others know about the scar?" the forensic pathologist asks me.

I shake my head, "Only Donovan does, since he was there." After a moment of thought, I add, "I should tell Benen as well, though. I don't think he'd freak out as much since he wasn't there."

Steven nods. "I haven't told Caroline," he begins. "But I'm going to tell her today, so she can also be careful with nebmentia when you're around. And Mr. Wallace... I don't think you need to tell him about your newfound scar."

I furrow my eyebrows. With dread clear in my voice, I ask, "Why not?"

"It's... hard to explain," Steven says vaguely. "But I have a feeling that he knows about your scar. Maybe even more than you do..."

I open my mouth to protest, but the thousands of questions buzzing chaotically through my head shut me up. I can't seem to pick out a single question to ask, so I end up stammering, "W- why?! How?" My vision begins to blur for some reason, so I hold onto the wall besides me so I won't fall. I try to say something, but I just take in a deep breath instead, letting my vision clear up again.

I don't realize that Steven's holding onto me as well until he asks, "What's wrong, Fitz? You seem like you want to pass out."

I shake my head. "I... I think I'm good..?" I tell him uncertainly, my voice hitching at the end and making my answer questionable. I'm about to take a deep breath and say more, but I'm interrupted by the sudden searing pain of my scar. Yelping slightly, I jump back and look down at my chest, my eyes widening considerably. "My scar," I manage to breathe out. "It's... really painful."

Steven rushes towards me. "How so?" he asks. "Is it because you were near the nebmentia?"

I shrug halfheartedly, my scar still burning horribly. "I... don't know," I practically hiss. I manage to let out a sharp gasp before I feel something overwhelmingly powerful flowing through my veins like a flood. The pain of my scar goes away as my vision turns to a blinding white. I recognize this sudden change from when I was in the hideout... except for one thing.

My vision is back to normal. It changed back almost instantly.

Frowning, I quickly barge out the steel doors, surprised at how speedily I did the action, like I flew out of there. I look around until I see Caroline with her eyes closed, like she's sleeping and standing up simultaneously. Making my way over to her just as quickly, I say, "Caroline!" I repeat her name multiple times until I realize that she won't respond for some reason. I'm about to shout it in a louder tone when the sudden wave of mental power rushes over me, making me scream as my vision turns white again.

And before I know it, I find myself dropping onto the ground from a few feet in midair. My scar burns momentarily before the pain goes away. While I'm still the ground, trying to mentally and physically recoup, I hear the second pair of doors slam open. I then glance up to see Steven helping me stand upright.

"How'd you get here?" Steven asks, looking at his wife as she opens her eyes. When they smile at each other, Steven looks at me for an answer. "You were in the other room about a minute ago..."

I shrug again. "I... flew in here..?" I say, cringing at how delusional I must've sounded. Instead, when I look up at the pathologist again, I see his blue eyes widening considerably, his face pale. I raise an eyebrow at him, but I don't say anything.

Steven opens his mouth to say something, but he's interrupted when Caroline exclaims, "When did you get that mark on your chest?!" She points to my now visible scar. "How did you get it?!"

I sigh in defeat. Swallowing my dread, I say, "I got the scar last year because Fitton didn't know that I'm 'allergic' to nebmentia." I then add, "This scar hasn't gone away, but I've been careful to not touch nebmentia no matter what."

"I forgot that you were with Steven in the other room," Caroline says, tapping her chin in thought. "Is that why you backed away from the nebmentia?"

I nod. "Exactly."

Caroline then gasps. "I'm sorry! I should've known that's why you backed away!" the chemist exclaims before enveloping me in a hug. Still slightly confused at her reaction, I hug her back as Steven says, "Since we've told her, do you think we should tell Sophie?"

Caroline and I break apart before she asks, "Why doesn't she know?"

"I..." My voice trails off when I just shake my head. "Maybe later, but not now." I stay silent, not being able to find the correct words to explain just why.

Caroline and Steven nod, looking at each other. After the chemist bids farewell and leaves to go to the other room, Steven nears me and asks, "Is it because you don't want her to see that Fitton did?"

I tense up, but still don't answer. He wasn't wrong... but there was more to it.

"Or was it how you don't want her to have more reasons to fear Fitton and Jacob?"

I nod slightly, but I don't verbally admit it, since he's missing a bit more of the explanation. At this rate, he'll guess it soon enough.

Steven smiles as he whispers, "Or is it the fact that you-"

"Um, do you know where Sophie might be right now?" I ask, quickly cutting him off. I can feel my face burn slightly when the forensic pathologist merely smirks at me. "I didn't see her."

"Hmm... Try the conference room," the pathologist says after a few moments. "Is that where the six of you meet up?"

I nod. "I'll check there," I tell him as I head to the door. I try to ignore Steven when he mouths, "We'll talk about this later," but I can still feel my face warming. Shaking my head, I close the doors behind me and make my way to the conference room.

But just as I place my hand on the doorknob, I realize that my scar is showing and race up to my room to change.