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"Camilla!" a voice frantically called, both from far away and through the static in her ear. "Camilla, come quick!"

It was Mack. As Camilla struggled to her feet, the situation began slowly coming back to her in bits and pieces, and she ignored the pain as she ran over to the park where she last saw them.

"Camilla, here!" Mack called, this time forgoing their comms.

Camilla spun around towards the direction of his voice, and she felt her heart drop at what she saw. She saw Mack and Nakia struggling to lift a slab of concrete, the bottom of the cream-colored stone starkly stained with red. And beneath it was Finn, looking much smaller than normal with only his head visible.

"What happened?" Camilla exclaimed, running towards them.

"He—he saved us," Mack stammered. He heaved again at the concrete, trying to time it with the shockwaves from Nakia. "He made a wall from the dirt, but this thing... it broke right through. We didn't even see it coming."

"Move," Camilla ordered, and she lifted the slab as soon as they were clear.

Beneath the stone, Finn was a tattered, bloody mess, and red had seeped through his clothes and onto the green grass around him. As soon as he was free of the concrete, he let out a ragged cough, and he blinked at them slowly through the blood that streaked across his face. With every strained breath he took, his chest seemed to rise and fall a great deal, or maybe that just seemed to be the case when one of his arms and legs had been crushed flat.

"Ouch," he said softly with a small smile, his voice sounding like sandpaper. Almost immediately, he began coughing again.

"Don't talk, you idiot," Mack scolded, his voice filled with worry as he dropped to the ground beside Finn.

His hands trembled as he gingerly placed them on Finn's crushed arm, taking care to avoid jostling the porcelain white bones that jaggedly protruded from the thick mixture of dark red blood and flesh.

"Base, Wyatt Squad," Camilla said over the base channel, struggling to keep her voice even. "There was an explosion. Multiple casualties, civilian and guardian. Request ETA on backup."

But there was no answer.

"Base, Wyatt, come in," Camilla said, more urgently.

But there was still no answer.

Camilla was lost. They only had one healer and two other able-bodied guardians, but there were at least a hundred injured civilians and a burning building to deal with. Plus, with no way of knowing if backup was coming, they had to prioritize and do what they could. And after all of those months of jumping from one battlefield to the next, all Camilla needed was one look at Finn to know he was minutes, maybe seconds, away from black status.

As if Finn could read her mind, he looked up at her with a feeble smile before glancing at Mack.

"Mack, stop," he said, his voice almost inaudible. "Mack, please... it's fine."

"I'll be the judge of that," Mack said stubbornly, refusing to look at anything except the injuries in front of him. "You just stay still and stop talking."

"You have to... take care of... everyone else," Finn continued roughly. "Logan... Taylor... Jay..."

At his reminder, Camilla numbly looked to the side. It looked like Finn's defenses had protected the two kids from the explosion, but Jay's posture mimicked Finn's, and the man lay sprawled out in the grass, only moving when Logan and Taylor tried to shake him awake.

"They're fine," Mack lied, his voice breaking. "Just be quiet, kid, and stay still."

Finn's gaze slowly turned to Camilla, and Camilla felt herself stop breathing at the scared look in his eyes.

"Cap, please," he pleaded, tears beginning to well up in his eyes and mix with his blood as they trickled down his face. "Please... you know... it's for the best."

"Kid, just shut up already," Mack interrupted, his voice shaking with his entire body.

"Cap, please... listen to me," Finn cried, before he was overcome by a fit of hacking coughs.

"Just let me help you, Finn!" Mack shouted. A second later, he let out a strangled sob as he let his head fall to his chest, and his next words were a whisper. "Please, just let me try."

Let me try. Even Mack knew he was just trying to delay the inevitable.

"Nakia," Camilla began, struggling to keep her voice steady and monotone. "Work on extinguishing the fire at City Hall. There's a fire hydrant that broke in the blast; use the water that's pouring out from it."

Nakia looked up from Finn to Camilla, startled. Whatever they saw in Camilla's face must have said enough though, and a second later, Nakia spared a moment to tightly squeeze Finn's good hand and mutter something quietly in his ear before they ran off towards City Hall to comply. As they quietly rushed away, Camilla didn't miss the trail of tears that glistened on their cheeks.

"Mack..." Camilla started, but she had to close her eyes and take a deep breath before she could find her voice again. "Heal civilian injuries, starting from those closest to the blast. Leave minor injuries for non-meta EMTs."

When Mack made no indication he was going to leave, Camilla gritted her teeth and steeled her mind.

"Vice Captain Olomana," she said as sternly as she could. "That's an order."

Suddenly, Mack lunged to his feet then grabbed Camilla by the collar of her uniform, and Camilla's sense of smell was engulfed by the iron that wafted up from his hands.

"I don't give a shit about orders!" he shouted in her face, tears streaming over the grime on his cheeks. "I never have! I never wanted to be a guardian, and I hate almost every second of it! The only time when it's remotely bearable is when I get to spend it with you guys, outside of the fighting and this fucking war." He took in a shaky breath, and the rest of his words were strangled with desperation. "I can't lose any of you guys. I can't survive that."

Camilla knew that trying to stop her own tears were pointless, so she didn't even try.

"Mack, please," she whispered, her own voice wavering. "I'll stay with him. But these people... they need you. They need your help too."

Camilla could see Mack's soul breaking before her very eyes, and there was nothing she could do about it. Eventually, his grip on her loosened, and he stood up straight.

"Yes, ma'am," he said softly, before turning around and kneeling beside Finn, placing a hand gently on his good shoulder. "I'll be back in a bit, okay? Don't go anywhere."

Finn's smile was shaking now. "Take care of yourself, Grandpa."

Mack let out a broken laugh and gently squeezed Finn's shoulder one more time before slowly getting to his feet and moving slowly towards City Hall.

As soon as he left, Camilla did as she promised and sat in the grass beside Finn, ignoring the wet and sticky warmth that greeted her. His fingers on his good hand twitched, so Camilla took his hand in both of her own, and she squeezed tightly.

"Thanks, Cap," Finn said softly.

"It's the smart move," Camilla said, then hesitated. "You'd make a great captain."

Finn chuckled a little. "Not... as good as you though," he said, his gaze drifting towards the sky. "I'm glad... I survived that attack in San Diego. I wasn't before, actually. Did... did you know that? I hated that... only I got to live.

"But when I found out that you'd be my captain..." His eyes turned to Camilla again. "Being on your squad was a dream come true."

It was Camilla's turn to laugh. "Flattery will get you nowhere, Caffrey."

"But it's true," Finn insisted. "I've always... looked up to you. Ever since I met you... at the Academy."

Camilla stared at Finn, trying to search her memory from all those years. She must have been in her seventh year when Finn started, and most of her experiences from that time were unpleasant or nonexistent.

"You probably... don't remember," Finn said, reading her mind once more. "It was in the mess hall. You... saved my lunch, and even split the rest of the sorbet with me." He smiled fondly at the memory. "Raspberry. I liked that flavor. It was a little sour at first... but once I got used to it, it was actually pretty nice."

Camilla did remember that day. She remembered using her abilities to get the last of the dessert from the machine, and she split it with the boy who had been willing to give up his entire helping for her. And she remembered how the boy invited Camilla to sit with him and his friends, and she refused.

"I remember," Camilla said, no longer able to keep up her brave front. The tears began to pour from her eyes, and she gripped Finn's hand even tighter. She couldn't help but notice how his hand was steadily getting colder, and how his energy was slowly slipping away.

So she tried to give him some of her energy; she tried to heal him. And when the familiar warm glow began to form at their clasped hands, Finn's tired eyes slowly widened.

But Camilla couldn't even help him as much as Mack had. Even if she tried, she would only end up failing, and that realization made her let out a choked sob. She hung her head, defeated and filled with regret for giving Finn such false hope. And when Finn squeezed her hand gently, Camilla forced herself to look him in the eye and face his disappointment.

But Finn merely continued to give her his same small smile. "Hey, Cap... it's okay. It's not your fault. It's gonna be okay. You're gonna be okay."

Camilla didn't believe him, but she nodded anyway to assuage him, unable to speak anymore. It was a weak response, but it was enough for Finn, and he returned her agreement with a satisfied smile. And as his eyes drifted closed, his energy continued to fade until Camilla could barely feel it.

This couldn't be the end. Finn was still a kid. He was still a kid, just like all of her Academy classmates had been when Exodos attacked. And while Camilla had been useless back then, this time, she could actually do something for once.

She couldn't let Finn's fate be the same as theirs, not when she had the power to save him. Sure, maybe she would end up failing him, just like she failed them, but she still had to do something. And even if she failed, it was better than not trying at all. She had to at least try.

So she closed her eyes and focused. Again, she felt the familiar warm glow where their hands met, and she could feel her energy transfer to him. At first, nothing happened, but Camilla refused to give up just yet.

And then, little by little, she felt Finn's energy begin to grow stronger and stronger, and his hand became warmer and warmer. It was working, it was actually working, and she soon felt Finn's fingers twitch slightly beneath her own.

But that wasn't enough. She could do more; she had to do more.

Before she could stop herself, Camilla extended her energy all around her, flooding the area like a tidal wave. Immediately, she was engulfed by a violent mixture of pain, shock, and panic. The abrupt sensation made her want to curl in on herself, to shut off her senses from the world around her. But she forced herself to hold out, to keep spreading her energy as far as she could go, actively searching for feelings of agony and despair, of cold and death.

You can save them all.

It wasn't until Camilla felt she was going to pass out from the pain that she finally held her energy steady. Then, she summoned the warmth inside of her, and let it go.

In a matter of seconds, she felt a gradual sense of relief wash gently over the area, and Camilla pressed on. She was doing it; it was working. Serenity was imminent; she could see it just out of reach, she was just on the cusp, she knew she was. All she had to do was just hold on.

But her control was slipping, and she could feel her consciousness fading. She wasn't strong enough, she wasn't good enough, she needed to be better. She could do more, she needed to, she had to.

So she did.

Suddenly, her senses suddenly opened up in a way she never felt before. She felt the blaze of a raging fire, and every bit of heat in the warm spring air. She felt the force of water spewing from the ground, and the reverberations of sound waves echoing like a chaotic symphony. She felt the life within the grass beneath her and trees around her. It felt overwhelming; it felt right.

She felt her arms stretch out to either side, needing to sense everything around her. Then, her eyes snapped open, and even though they were pointed towards the vast, blue sky, all Camilla could see was a blinding light of pure power.

Suddenly, an immense rush of energy washed over her, engulfing her from all directions. It filled her with a comforting, familiar warmth, and a part of her wanted to hold onto it forever. But it wasn't meant for her; it was meant for them. So, once more, Camilla let the warmth go.

And then it was like watching life be reborn, only Camilla was feeling it instead of seeing it. She could feel agony turn to relief, and fear turn to hope. She could feel cells regrowing and multiplying, wounds healing and pain receding. She could feel weights being lifted and breaths of fresh air. Shock turned to joy; cold turned to warmth.

Yet some of the cold remained. Some of the cold refused to thaw. But Camilla was filled with warmth. She had to keep trying.

And so she did. And she kept trying, again and again. And even as her own warmth began to fade, she kept trying, and trying, and trying...

Camilla, that's enough.

But it's not enough. It can't be considered enough, not if there are still people that need help. I can help them.

Please, Camilla. listen to me. You can stop now.

But I can still save them. I just need a little more time.

It's okay. Camilla, it's okay. You've done more than enough. But right now, you need to let go. For me, okay? Please, just let go.

Camilla blinked slowly, and it took a moment for her vision to come into focus. Her mind couldn't comprehend everything that she was seeing, but none of that mattered, not when Elsie was kneeling before her, holding Camilla's face in her hands. Elsie's hair looked disheveled and her clothes were such a haphazard mess that Camilla thought for a moment that Elsie got caught in the blast too. But the lack of grime and blood on her was enough evidence that that wasn't the case, and Camilla forced herself to try and relax.

"You came back," Elsie whispered, grazing her thumbs against Camilla's cheeks just as tears fell down her own.

"I couldn't save them," Camilla said helplessly.

"Hey, it's okay," Elsie assured, stroking Camilla's head with one hand. "You did more than enough. See? All these people? Your squad? They're alright. They're safe. You saved them."

Camilla didn't think she could move, but she managed to turn her head ever so slightly towards City Hall.

Just as Elsie said, dozens of people were scattered through the street, grimy but alive. A few were hobbling down the steps of City Hall, covered in a mixture of fine gray dust and dark red blood. Even Finn was standing around with his previously crushed arm and leg perfectly intact, as if he wasn't a second away from death just moments ago. He, Mack, and Nakia watched her from afar, but Camilla couldn't tell if their expression was one of awe or fear.

In fact, everyone on the street seemed to be looking at her similarly, including guardians that hadn't been there earlier, even as they held back the reporters that had seemed to appear out of nowhere. She didn't know what any of them were thinking; she didn't trust any of them. But she did trust Elsie, so Camilla slowly turned her gaze back to her.

Elsie's reassuring smile was enough to calm Camilla's nerves. Camilla wanted to smile back, to thank her just for existing, but all she could manage was a heavy sigh, and she let her body crumple forward. And of course, Elsie was there for her, and Camilla rested her head on Elsie's shoulder and focused only on her warm embrace.

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March 16, 34 AE, 3:00 AM

Downtown Los Angeles

Camilla wasn't sure what time it was when she heard a set of rough pounding at Elsie's front door. In fact, she was too mentally and physically drained to care, so she shifted even closer to Elsie, as if being in closer proximity to her would help Camilla go back to sleep faster.

But the knocking continued.

"What the hell is going on?" Elsie muttered. She gave Camilla one last squeeze and let her lips gently brush her forehead before rolling out of bed. "Any more and they're gonna break down the door."

It was Camilla's exhaustion that made her take a few moments to register Elsie's verbal observation, and as soon as she did, she jumped to her feet.

"Elsie, wait!" Camilla exclaimed, rushing for the stairs. "Elsie!"

But it was too late. Elsie was already on the lower floor, and as soon as she looked up at Camilla, the front door burst open.

Camilla already had the knives in the kitchen under her control by the time Exodos rushed in, their customary camo-print uniforms replaced with solid black. There was no way they were going to get their hands on Elsie, and Camilla pulled the knives out of the kitchen drawer and sent them speeding into the living room, targeting the metas closest to Elsie.

But a second later, a bolt of lightning shot out from within the group of metas, sending the knives tumbling uselessly to the side. Camilla stared at the knives blankly, dumbfounded, before returning to her senses.

She reached her energy out to grab them again, but as soon as she touched them, she felt a jolt of electricity rushing up her arms, and she let go instantly. Still, the residual energy continued to tingle throughout her body, and she shook her arms out as if that would help.

Before she could set up another attack, the group of metas parted down the middle, making way for an all-too familiar figure and the sharp clacking of her pointy stilettos. And it was at that moment Camilla knew that things were definitely not right, because it wasn't Exodos that had knocked down their front door—it was the Org.

"Camilla Wyatt," Dr. Bridgette Hester began, her confidence only a cover for the condescending sneer in her voice. "On behalf of the Organization, you are under arrest for conspiring against this country for the terrorist group Exodos."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Elsie exclaimed incredulously. "Lady, are you out of your goddamn mind?"

Hester looked at Elsie, slightly surprised, before turning to one of the metas besides her and nodding.

It didn't take Camilla long to figure out what was going on. In a split second, she pulled the glass straight from the condo's tall windows, coupled with the comforter from their bed, and positioned them between Elsie and the meta, one behind the other, just as the meta raised their hand towards Elsie. A bolt of lightning emerged from their fingertips, striking the window and shattering the glass into the comforter behind it.

"Elsie!" Camilla called.

Elsie didn't need to be told twice, and she rushed back up the stairs. But she was only halfway up when a shockwave hit her square in the back, knocking her over the railing and falling into the living room below.

Camilla threw the window and blanket at the group of metas and jumped down to the first floor, running straight for Elsie who lay crumpled on the ground.

"Elsie," Camilla whispered urgently, dropping to the ground at her side.

Elsie grabbed Camilla's wrist, her face contorted with pain. "Get out of here," she whispered back. "Hurry!"

"No," Camilla said, resolute.

"Camilla, you can't stay here!" Elsie pleaded.

"Well, isn't this adorable," Hester jeered, her shoes clacking noisily against the wooden floor. "It's amazing how you've managed to find someone that's not appalled by your shitty personality, Wyatt."

Camilla felt a rage boiling within her, an anger directed at all of the people in her life that had tried to control her with words and threats. And Hester was one of those people.

Elsie's grip tightening against her wrist snapped her from her thoughts, and Camilla focused on her alone.

Leave, Elsie silently begged.

But Camilla couldn't do that. It wasn't often that she found someone in her life that she could trust as much as she trusted Elsie. Not only that, but there was no one else in her life that she loved the way she loved Elsie. She said it before: As long as I can help it, I'll make sure she never gets hurt again. And she meant it.

In less than a second, Camilla expanded her energy throughout the condo. She felt the energy from the metas around her, from Hester, and the life in their bodies. Then she took it.

For a brief moment, she heard a chorus of agonizing screams. Another second later and she felt her body go rigid and uncontrollable. She vaguely heard Elsie's voice, screaming as if she was miles away, as if she was in pain. Camilla willed herself to do something, to help her, but she couldn't move. She wasn't even sure if she could see.

It was a relief when her body finally collapsed, but she still couldn't move. She saw Elsie drag herself towards her, clutching her right shoulder that looked terribly out of position. Her mouth was moving, but Camilla couldn't hear her or understand what she was saying.

But when Elsie's eyes suddenly averted to the space behind Camilla, Camilla knew her expression was one of fear. And even if Camilla couldn't move, she could at least try to use her abilities. So she gathered all the energy she could, then released a shockwave of air behind her, right where Elsie had been looking.

With her residual energy now lingering in the air, Camilla didn't need her hearing to detect the sound around her, and it was like she was listening from underwater. She could hear Elsie's pained cries, yelling her name in desperation. She could hear the screams of agony from some of the metas that had barged into her home. And she could hear Hester's shrill voice yelling at the top of her lungs.

"You damn bitch!" Hester screeched. "What the hell are you waiting for? Take care of her already!"

The last thing Camilla heard was Elsie's screams as another jolt of lightning sent Camilla flying through the living room and out the balcony window. After that, her world was filled with silence as she fell into the abyss of the cold Los Angeles night, the key around her neck shining like the only star in the sky.

End of Phase Two

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NOTES

And that's a wrap on Phase Two! This might be my favorite part (it's a close race between Phase Two and Three). Not only did I enjoy writing from Camilla's perspective, but I liked showing how cool she can be. Plus, this is also the part that Camilla and Elsie finally get together, so there's that.

As for this chapter, it might sound terrible to say this, considering what happens in this chapter, but this is another one of my favorites. My enjoyment of it is probably because of the major dichotomy between the beginning and end scenarios, and I love cliffhangers (as long as I know what's going to happen, of course).

Hope you enjoyed this chapter and the rest of Phase Two! Coming up: we're mixing things up again in the next and final part, Phase Three.

Thank you for reading, voting, and commenting!