Anti hummed to himself, waiting in the rafters of the abandoned computer factory. It was the perfect place for him to lure Jackie into. It had gone into flames a little over a year ago and no one had bothered to fix it up. But luckily for him, some electricity in parts of the building still worked, giving him a little juice to work with.

He giggled a little, swinging his legs, just thinking of all the ways he'd torment the hero this time.

He knew he'd be here soon. Using the kids were a sore spot and he'd be raring for a fight.

'Not like I hurt them or anything. Those idiots are so touchy, it's cute.'

He wasn't in the mood to really hurt anyone this time, though. Maybe do some mind tricks? He'd figure it out later. Anti . . . . he wasn't sure at all what he felt anymore. Was it even exciting anymore? Did he get anything from this or was it just to be a dick?

No, no, no.

He had to remember his big plan.

Anti grinned to himself but only for a moment, 'To kill Sean. That fooking . . . Using the others will only help me. Give me an advantage'

Suddenly he heard footsteps just outside and his thoughts changed. He was on alert now.

Hopping up on the rafter quietly, Anti looked around for the hero.

Only to see nothing.

Anti narrowed his eyes, confused, 'Maybe I heard something else . . . . a stray cat outside or something? A dog?'

He was about to jump down when something plowed into him.

"Ugh!" Anti barely registered what had happened when he fell into the concrete and rubble with someone on top of him, "The fook!?"

"Got you!" Jackie gripped a hold of Anti's wrists and throat, immobilizing him, "Thought you could get the best of me this time, glitch?"

Anti was stunned, that was for sure but it didn't take long for him to grin ear to ear, "Took you long enough, hero" he giggled, "Didn't think you'd come this time!"

"You went too far, Anti! You can't just use the kids like that, you sick fuck!" Jackie tightened his grip on Anti's throat but the glitch just smirked at him,

"Ooo, tighter! I'm almost there!"

Jackie cringed and backed off only for Anti to curl back and kick the hero in the stomach.

"Guh!" Jackie coughed, "Fucking freak"

Anti got on his feet and walked around Jackie with a grin, shrugging his shoulders, "Eh, it is what it is, Red. But really, I could have done a LOT worse, you know." he frowned, "Could have stolen the kids away and dumped them on their mother's doorstep"

Jackie stood and followed Anti so they were circling each other, "So you really would stoop to hurting the kids? How low can you drop, Antisepticeye?"

Anti huffed, "As if living with their harpy mother would be any worse than the father that's never around to pay attention to them!"

"How the fuck would you know!?" Jackie lunged for him only for Anti to dodge, "Stacey gave up custody willingly! Not only that but-"

"You think I give a fuck!?" Anti shoved him into a wall and clasped his own fist around Jackie's throat, giving him a blunt shock, stunning him. He whispered into Jackie's ear playfully, "I'd do anything to just mess with you morons!"

Jackie struggled but managed to pull at Anti's hair, yanking him off of him and gasping for air, "You're the moron!"

He took out a piton from his belt and swat Anti with it along with an electric shock of his own. Anti flinched at that, but it wasn't anything compared to what he knew the hero could really do. But who said Anti was going to play nice?

The glitch sucked out some power from the abandoned computers ready to throw it at Jackie, "Wanna take that back!?"

The hero pulled off something else from his belt, though, and threw it at him. Anti honestly didn't expect the new gadget to fly open, engulfing him in a net!

"Ah what the hell, man!?" he tried to glitch out of it but found he . . .couldn't, "W-what?"

Jackie laughed at him, "Marvin may have a problem in black markets but he does make good shit sometimes. Good luck getting out of that net"

Anti huffed with a smirk, "You really are stupid if you think this'll stop m-"

Both were stunned into silence when the building started to shake harshly. A large sound erupted, booming in their ears.

Jackie was thrown to the ground with the shaking and Anti covered his head with his arms to protect himself.

When the ground eased, Jackie barely registered what had happened.

Blinking his eyes blearily, he realized he was on top of Anti. He must have thrown himself over him to protect him last minute.

Why, he didn't know.

But it looked like Anti was unconscious and Jackie felt something heavy on top of him on his back.

He couldn't stay awake and within seconds, he passed out.

Anti was the first to wake up.

He couldn't even think at first.

Everything was dark so he assumed it was evening now.

His head hurt. Really his whole body ached.

Blinking rapidly to get the dust out of his eyes, Anti groaned. He saw the net was over him still but there was also something ELSE over him.

The glitch coughed out a little but something on his chest prevented proper expansion of his lungs. Lifting his head a little, he then saw the dilemma.

'Fuck. . . . there was an. . . an Earthquake' he rested his head back down on the concrete. Jackie was on top of him and on top of Jackie was a large chunk of the ceiling.

'So much for a good fight' He wiggled his hand a little and his toes, making sure he wasn't paralyzed or something. He finally felt his pocket knife in his pants and after a couple minutes, he managed to pull it out along with his arm, wearily see-sawing at the net so he could glitch out.

Once he cut the net, he laughed to himself before coughing again. He may not be paralyzed but that didn't mean he wasn't injured. And if it wasn't for Jackie. . . . .

'Fucking hero . . . didn't have to. . . .'

"Fuck" he took a few breathes but eased his arm around Jackie's neck.

Making a final decision, Anti glitched the both of them out from under the rubble and outside the factory.

Anti groaned, his aching body yelling at him not to move so much. Jackie winced in his unconscious state but Anti paid no mind, really, setting him down.

'Better fooking appreciate that. . . .'

He started walking away towards a street light, limping and holding his chest. With a sigh, Anti looked back and snarled at the hero laying on the ground looking broken and worn.

"Don't think this . . . means anything. . . . . Next time. . . . . next time we w-won't have this interference."

He glitched away through the street light, leaving Jackie on his own to wake up later.

'Beep'

'Beep'

'Beep'

The slow high-pitched sound of a machine started to wake him.

He heard the faint sound of talking in the room and could tell there were multiple people arguing.

Then he felt a hand on his forehead and he winced.

"Easy there, Red" he heard Chase's voice, "You didn't fare so well in the quake, dude"

"A lot of people didn't" Jackie blinked open his eyes to see Henrik. The doctor looked worried but glad he was finally awake, "I'd help zhe hospital myself but Edward says I am not allowed until I retake that test. How are you feeling, Jackie?"

The hero groaned, "I've had better days" he tried to sit up but winced, falling back again.

"Cool down there, bro" Chase stopped him, "You took a lot of damage. Any idea what happened to you?"

"It vas Anti of course!" Henrik filled in, "I told you, Chase if you were listening at all! Anti gave your children the address to give to Jackie! They obviously had their fight there and then zhe earthquake happened."

"When I get my hands on that bastard-" the father stopped and sighed, "You know what? At least he didn't hurt them. I'm at least grateful for that. And by the looks of it, Anti took pity on you"

The hero huffed only to soon realize he was in a hospital gown, "What happened to my-"

Jameson appeared from behind them and showed him his uniform in a bag.

Jackie sighed, "Thanks James. It's . . . It's good to see you again"

'Good to see you, too!' he signed to him.

"What do you mean by what you said, Chase? Why would Anti take pity on me?"

"Well-"

Henrik cleared his throat to interrupt him, "When Chase came to pick up Kallie and Sammy, the earthquake happened. And zhen you still didn't return when it got dark. Chase and I came to zhe address Anti had given you and we found you outside of zhe factory building. Although it vas obvious you had debris fall on you"

"Some heavy shit, too, by the look of it" Chase filled in.

Jackie thought about it all and on the inside, he was glad Anti had the courtesy to get him out of the rubble but he was also. . .. confused. About multiple things, really.

"You HAD been crushed by debris. . . hadn't you?" Henrik asked although it wasn't really a question.

The hero nodded softly, "The ceiling caved in. I reacted and covered Anti. We both blanked out but he must have woke up first and helped me in return"

"Nah, he was up to something" Chase didn't trust so easily, "Next thing is he's gonna say you owe him or something."

"Where ARE the kids, Chase?" Jackie changed the subject, "Did you finally find a babysitter?"

The vlogger and cameraman blushed at getting caught but scoffed lightly, "You don't get how hard that is, man. Anyway, no. Marv's with them in the lobby. I didn't want them to see you like this, you know? Might traumatize them"

"Any more than Anti probably has?" it was meant as a joke but it wasn't perceived that way. Chase looked ready to deck him himself.

"Look man, I'm trying my best! I-"

Jameson put his hand on Chase's shoulder firmly to calm him down and he caught himself, "S-sorry. It's just . . ."

"I know, Chase. Anyway what's the damage? How soon can I get back in action? I need to meet Abe tomorrow and get back at Anti for-"

"Ah, ah, ah!" Henrik relished this moment, "Not so fast, Jackie! You see you have no choice now but to take a break!"

Jackie was confused, "W-what do you mean?"

The clinic doctor grinned devilishly, "Cracked ribs, broken ankle, internal bruising, light concussion AND multiple scrapes and external bruising. Will take a few months for anyone else but vith your healing, . . .. . eh. .. a few weeks"

"A few WEEKS!?" Jackie shot up, wincing and groaning at the sudden pain, "Agh! Rrrr. . . B-but doc. . . I can't wait that long! The city needs-"

"Needs you to take a well deserved break for a change, bro" Chase was on Henrik's side. Of course he was, "Just. . think of it like a vacation."

"You just want me to babysit your kids"

"Not true. Although it would be much appreciated" Chase chuckled, "But seriously, I think you do a lot for other people, bro. You deserve some time to yourself for once. . . NOT worrying about others."

Jackie let that sink in. They really weren't worried. Did they not believe in him as a hero? Did he not make much of a difference that it didn't matter if he took a break or not?

Before he could think too much on it, though, another doctor popped in.

"Hey there! How's he doing?" it was Doctor Iplier, "He's not dead?"

"Imbecile" Henrik muttered under his breathe but they knew it was just a joke.

Doctor Iplier smirked at Henrik, nodding to Jackie, "Sorry for the wait. I know someone pressed the button to let me know you woke up but it's been a pretty busy night tonight"

"I can imagine." Jackie nodded, "So what do YOU think? How long-"

"A few weeks." Iplier was giving him a stern look, "And I KNOW for certain Schneep as already told you that verdict already. You're not getting out of it. What I WILL do, however, is discharge you early"

"Vhat?! Are you insane!?"

"What? It's not like I can keep him here. He'll heal faster in his own home. In a few days, he'll be able to walk better but he should be able to take care of himself just fine. Besides, I need to open up more rooms for other patients who are not so lucky. I'll go get a wheelchair for him so it'll be easier to get to the car"

With really nothing much else to talk about, the small group waited and then got Jackie in the wheelchair when Iplier returned.

When Jameson wheeled him out, they walked out to the lobby to see Marvin doing a small magic show for a large group of kids including Kallie and Sammy.

Jackie's heart melted, 'By god, he actually does care' he wanted to snap a picture so he could taunt him with it later but Chase beat him to it.

"What a soft dude. Soft as cat fur, am I right?" Chase snickered, nudging Jackie and the hero chuckled.

"Is . . . THIS your card!?"

The crowd of kids ooo and awed at the trick and they clapped along with their guardians or other adults who had nothing else to do.

Whether Marvin realized it or not, he was making a difference in helping these people and children. Keeping their spirits up in such a hard time.. . .

Jackie felt jealous for a moment.

Anti had thrown himself pretty carelessly out through his laptop. He hadn't realized how injured he really was until he did.

Groaning, he slowly picked himself up and limped to his mirror, removing his clothes so he could check his body on what was wrong with him.

Even if Jackie had shielded him from the ceiling collapse, he didn't get away scott-free. He still had multiple bruises, a sprained ankle, scratches and his chest was still sore so he suspected that he had cracked some ribs just as Jackie probably had as well.

But he wasn't stupid. If Jackie hadn't shielded him, he would have had a lot more serious injuries. Jackie was a different story in that he was MADE to be the hero. He was stronger and healed faster. Other egos, however, like Anti didn't have that luxury. Really he probably would have come pretty close to death if Jackie hadn't saved him.

Anti hated that.

He hated owing anyone but he tried to keep telling himself that he already paid back the debt by glitching them BOTH out of the rubble. That was enough, wasn't it?

He shook his head and growled to himself, 'Fooking asshole. Just HAS to be the good guy all the time.'

Anti gently laid on his bed, not even bothering to redress into anything. It was still hot even in the night.

He could still hear the dripping, too, of his pipes in this stupid shit-hole of an apartment.

Before it had calmed him.

Now it was like it was mocking him.

Snarling in unreasonable rage, Anti grabbed one of his pillows and screamed into it.

At least hopefully he didn't have to see that stupid hero's face for a while.

They'd BOTH be out of commission for their 'jobs'.