How was it possible to love someone with all your being, yet hate them just as intensely?

Nikki was convinced it wasn't possible, yet somehow the stars aligned, and she was stuck with an emotional nuke in her head primed to blow. The worst part was knowing it had wormed its way into every part of her brain.

Richard had been so subtle about it, too. He put himself in a burning building just to get close to her. Sure, he had wanted to ensnare Sparrow, but the plan still went off without a hitch. He settled for her. She was his guinea pig.

Nikki didn't notice the signs at first.

Richard was a charming young man who caught her fancy. Nikki reflected that it was likely his power influencing her, but there'd been a connection almost immediately. That wasn't to say he was perfect, but it was more than enough to make her heart flutter.

That didn't last for long.

Richard's true colors were revealed not long after their meeting, but by then, he'd already had his claws dug in too deep. Unaware of the danger, Nikki was trapped, enthralled by a twisted monster masquerading in human flesh.

Richard had forbidden her from showing even the tiniest hint of distress, and she couldn't speak of the nature of their relationship. He instructed her to act normal, and despite the loathing she felt, she couldn't tell a soul about him or his capabilities.

It was all premeditated, he'd even admitted it.

Now here she was, living the life of a slave, and not even the best Mentalists could pick up on it. Walking around the Citadel with everyone going about their day as normal nearly broke her. They never even asked about him, and that's all it would've taken. Just one question, and they would've figured it out. However, with everything going on lately, it seemed questions about her private life needed to take a backseat.

That wasn't even the worst of it.

That emotional bomb he moulded inside her brain could go off at any point. It would turn her into a mindless berserker, unable to separate reason and rage. Richard called it a failsafe, an incentive to obey – not that she could do anything other than his bidding. The only way out would be in a body bag.

Nikki wasn't even sure how she could die; she certainly couldn't do it to herself. Her body was impervious to most physical damage to the point that bullets couldn't even scratch her. Her metallic angel wings could rip through just about any substance known to man – even highly durable evomats, and a roaring fire only felt like a warm breeze.

Dying became a fantasy, the only thing Richard hadn't taken away from her.

So far, the only way Nikki could think to escape was by drowning herself. Apparently, after the initial panic, it was a peaceful way to go, but no matter how many times she stood at the end of Bayside's harbor, she couldn't do it. She didn't want the world to remember her as the hero who was found floating face down in the ocean.

Nikki was Seraphim.

That name carried weight, a responsibility she was more than happy to fulfil.

Someone had to be able to help her. There had to be someone who could help her. Nikki spent weeks wondering if such a person would ever come around, and then the first sign of hope lit up her miserable existence.

It all started with a simple question.

"So, what's up with your boyfriend?"

Richard's twisted emotional programming surged within her when all she wanted to do was scream and cry about his true nature.

His power latched on to her emotions and forced her to retaliate.

Nikki felt the ingrained responses spill from her lips, and Sam and the rest of her friends ate it up. However, the girl pushed. Sam knew something was up, and she was fishing for information. At first, Nikki didn't want to hurt her, but the girl just wouldn't stop, and so she was forced to lash out.

That was when she realized Sam was different.

There was a cold switch. The flirty, peppy girl changed on a dime the moment blood was drawn. She dodged the slap, and Nikki's nail clipped the side of her neck. With her enhanced strength, the tip of the nail sliced through her skin like a hot knife through butter.

There was a flash of red in Sam's eyes.

For the briefest moment, she saw a rage so great it could render Bayside to ash. Nikki saw it as plain as day. Sam could've caught herself but chose to fall backward. The yelp from Sam's lips brought their friends to her side, and Nikki found herself the recipient of dagger-like glares.

Good.

Nikki could only feel relief.

Please see that I'm not myself—that something's wrong.

Despite apologizing profusely, the event brought scorn from her friends. Sam went to the school's medical bay with the excuse that she tripped on something. For now, the only consequence she faced was the bitter resentment from her friends.

But not all was lost.

Sam knows.

Nikki didn't have much evidence, just a gut feeling, but the thought that Sam was just like her—a super. However, that realization forced her to tell Richard. Anything she discovered, anything important, he was to know as soon as she was able. The fact that Sam had been asking about him specifically only seemed to enrage him.

It also terrified him.

Nikki drank in his terror like someone dying of thirst. Watching Richard's genuine panic was a sight to behold. Nothing was sweeter than watching him sweat bullets. He could scream at her and promise the most twisted, sickening pain imaginable, but nothing would take this away from her.

"You tell me when she's alone," Richard commanded. Nikki had brought him around back of the school as per his request. "I'll come and do the rest. You just make sure she can't leave and no one else can interfere. I'll teach that blonde bitch what happens when she sticks her nose in my business."

"That is a fantastic plan, Richie. I am floored by your genius. So, where in this master plan were you going to deal with the ECU soldiers patrolling the school grounds? It's an all girls school, they're not gonna just let you walk on through without proper verification," Nikki asked. When Richard's glare snapped toward her in confusion, she laughed. He didn't know? What a moron. "Hey, you never asked."

"I shouldn't need to ask. This is information I need!"

"What am I, a mind reader?" Nikki snorted. "It's obvious, and you specifically told you not to nag you about stuff you already knew."

"I didn't know that," Richard growled. "You're so fucking useless. Keep up this up and I'll send you to be a whore for Pandora just like my parents. I have no use for people I can't work with."

"Oh… hey now," Nikki felt conflicting emotions. Joy and sadness. "That's not very nice. You know I don't mean it. I'm just trying to help you as best as I can."

"Quit being dead weight and get in there," Richard pushed her away and pulled out his phone. "Give me the call when she's by herself, and make sure to keep her there."

"Alright, okay! Sheesh. You're testy today," Nikki teased, turning and sauntering away. A sick feeling congealed inside her, but she had no way to express it. "I'll let you know the moment she's alone."

All Nikki could do was wait for the inevitable explosion.

The worst part wasn't the abuse she suffered being with Richard. Nikki felt like she could withstand the sexual and emotional abuse, the threats, the violent outbursts. At the end of the day, all he could do was control her like a puppet. No matter what he did, he couldn't physically hurt her. Her power prevented that.

No, the real dread came from thinking about the aftermath.

Richard wasn't as cunning as he liked to think. He was a narcissistic, bumbling fool whose days were thankfully numbered. In a city like this, his death was a certainty. He managed to luck out so far, but Nikki suspected that wouldn't last much longer.

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When it did, the conditioning would shatter.

Nikki would celebrate his demise.

Nikki would mourn his passing like the love she would never have again.

Nikki would laugh.

Nikki would cry.

Nikki would snap.

Nikki would never be put back together.

The contradicting emotions would rip her to pieces, and she was scared there would be nothing left for anyone to salvage. She was scared nobody would want to piece her back together again, if such a thing were even possible.

She was terrified nobody could.

The death of Richard meant the obliteration of her mind. The death of her conscious mind—of her free will.

"Hiya boo," Nikki said the moment Richard picked up the phone. "You'll never guess who just went for a quick bathroom break—"

"What floor?"

"Wow, not even a thank—"

"Stop stalling and tell me the floor!"

"Second floor bathroom, science block. You don't need to be so—" The line went dead, and Nikki just sighed.

Getting up from her seat, she excused herself from class and followed Sam. The moment Nikki pushed open the door to the bathroom, Sam was already on guard. She said nothing as Nikki stepped in, almost like she was expecting this to happen.

"I don't suppose you're about to apologize for attacking me last week," Sam asked, forcing a smile. "Because I'm really, really hoping that's the case."

"Sorry for attacking you," Nikki said with a shrug. It was a shame Richard didn't even allow her to show any sort of regret to the people she harmed when defending him. He thought it would push away anyone who 'got too nosey for their own good.' "It just sorta happened."

"Yeah, I bet," Sam said. "Why don't we do this at lunch instead? If we take too long we're gonna get detention for 'playing around' in the bathroom. I don't want that kind of reputation."

Sam went for the door, but Nikki blocked it.

"I'm really sorry," Nikki said again. "But you can't leave."

Sam took a few steps back and inhaled.

"Fuck."

The door opened, and Nikki stepped to the side as Richard entered. He wasn't even halfway through the door when Sam tensed up. Nikki saw her twitch, but Richard hadn't even said anything yet.

"Don't move. Don't scream. Stay right where you are… that's it," Richard smiled as he got a good look at Sam, her eyes now sporting a noticeable gold hue. "There's a good girl. If you cooperate, we'll be right as rain. There's no need to try and fight it. You have my word, I won't hurt you."

"Your word is meaningless," Sam's voice was cold and void of any emotion. "You intend to turn me into your new pet. Right now, all you can think of is how you can torment me. Most of which are sexual fantasies," her head tilted ever-so-slightly. "Hardly the worst things I've seen. Pretty boring all things considered, if you're going to be a degenerate, at least be creative about it."

Nikki watched Richard seize up and go bug-eyed. She'd never heard anyone talk to him like that and get away with it.

"Do you think you're clever?" Richard asked with a false laugh. "You're trapped and that pretty little mouth isn't going to save you."

Sam's eyebrow rose.

"What makes you think I need to be saved?" Her lips curled into a smile. "You've come to me because you're scared someone's caught onto you, and you're still scared now, even with one of the strongest rookies protecting you. It's honestly pathetic, all that power and little old me has you quaking in your boots."

"Shut up. SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Richard roared and stormed toward her. He raised his hand to strike her but stopped at the last second when Sam began twitching. It was like watching a malfunctioning robot trying to move. "What are you doing? Stop it!"

Sam's grin turned feral. "Why don't you come closer?"

Nikki broke out laughing, she'd never seen him so flustered. He spun to face her, but his terror prompted his eyes to dart between the two of them.

"Why are you laughing?!"

"Because you have no idea what's happening? Isn't it obvious Richie? She has powers, just like us. You got lucky with me but you can't expect to be able to affect everyone the same way," Nikki walked forward and looked Sam over. With this new revelation, her entire relationship with the girl took on a new light. What was she trying to achieve? "You've got some form of resistance, don't you?"

"You poor thing," Sam's expression softened. "I don't think I can help you. He's twisted you beyond repair."

Nikki laughed.

"You don't need to say it like it's a bad thing. Richie is good to me, he could be good to you too if you behave."

"I'll pass," Sam turned her gaze back to Richard and glared daggers at him. "I don't like to invest in lost causes."

"You can resist me?" Richard murmured in disbelief, slowly approaching her again like she was a cornered, rabid animal. "Obviously, it's not a perfect resistance otherwise you would've fought back by now." His terror turned into a small smile. "To what extent, I wonder? My initial command seems to have worked, but my other ones…" he reached out and gently caressed her cheek. "You can still talk."

"Masterful observation," Sam drawled.

"Say nothing," Richard commanded. "Keep. Your. Mouth. Shut."

Sam twitched again.

"But it's my best feature!"

Richard recoiled at the mocking.

"I don't understand."

"You never will," Sam laughed. "You'll be dead long before you can figure anything out. You're on our radar, and you have been for a long time. Even if you ensnare me, they'll find you, and you'll wish they'd let you die."

Richard went red.

"You…" His chest heaved as he got in her face. "I want you to die. I want you dead right now," Sam twitched as he pushed his power's influence fully onto her mind. "Wither away and die quietly. I never want to hear from you again. Never speak for as long as you live. Suffer in silence until everyone around you forgets you exist, and then, ONLY THEN! Only then… are you allowed to scream."

Sam's twitching grew to concerning levels, and Nikki started to hear voices in the hallway.

"Uh, Richie? Don't you think that's going a bit overboard?"

"If this bitch thinks she can get one over me, I'll gladly show her why she's wrong. I'll find whatever group she's a part of, and I'll make her spoon their eyes out," he glared at Sam. "Do you hear that? Whoever you're with isn't safe. I'll get all of them, and because of your actions here I'll make them suffer."

"Um, shouldn't you have made her tell you first?" Nikki asked lightly. Richard's smoldering gaze flicked to her, and Nikki held up her hands innocently. "I'm just saying, she knows who they are. Maybe you should have asked her who they were before you told her to die and… uh, never speak again."

"Stop with your unwanted comments. Every time you open your fucking mouth, I want to peel the skin from your body."

"Aw, seriously?" Nikki sighed. "Alright then, Richie. I'll stop."

"Finally," he turned back to Sam. "I suppose since you can't speak anymore, you won't be able to tell me anything. So I guess the next best thing to do is to get you to show me," Richard grinned. "Alright then, bitch. Walk. I give you permission to move. Show me where—"

Sam twitched, and her fist lashed out in a sloppy punch.

It connected with Richard's chest, and Nikki heard the impact.

He flew across the bathroom and crashed into the wall.

Nikki wanted to cheer, but then she was overcome with rage. She stepped into her friend's range and punched her square in the jaw. Sam was flung off her feet by Nikki's titanic strength and blasted through the bathroom wall.

Immediately, there were screams echoing from the hallways, and seconds later, alarms sounded.

Nikki turned and rushed to Richard's side. There was blood dripping out of his mouth, so Sam must've done some damage to him. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to kill him. His hands found purchase on Nikki's clothes as he pulled himself to his knees. She supported him as best she could, but there was murder in his eyes.

"Kill… her," Richard wheezed. "KILL HER!"

"I did," Nikki said sadly, turning around to stare at the hole she had made. A blow to the jaw like that would have not only snapped her neck but broken every bone in her body. Granted, she did just witness Sam punch Richard across the girl's bathroom, which implied she had some kind of enhancement rating, but Nikki didn't dwell on those thoughts. "She seemed to have a mentalist power, it's very unlikely she also had a good enough enhancement rating to be anything more than a pile of mulch."

Both of those were true statements.

"Go–od," Richard blabbered. "Get me… home. I need–I need to lie down."

Nikki felt her wings expand from her back. Two of them cocooned around her and Richard while the rest propelled her upward. They crashed through the ceiling and soared into the sky. She made sure to hold Richard tightly. Ajax's war machines would pay her no mind, seeing as she was still wearing her armor bracelet, but that would only buy them so much time. She would have to ditch her armor somewhere.

Her time as a Hero was officially over.

As they flew, Nikki couldn't help but think as Richard passed out in her arms. Sam said something quite intriguing. It didn't occur to her until just now. Sam had said that she specifically couldn't help her. It was obvious she was too far gone. Richard's powers had dug too deep and fractured her mind. That emotional bomb was armed, and there was no stopping it – but her words gave her an idea.

A crazy idea.

It wasn't like she had anything to lose anyway.

Once she had laid Richard down to rest, she would ensure he had the medicine he needed to heal. She would be able to risk a quick trip back to Headquarters before they heard about what was going on. She was a much faster flyer than Abby.

After that, it would be time to pay Mother Earth a visit.

Nikki could only hope Gaea would take pity on her.

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