New York, Queens

Aaron's Apartment

21:13

"...W-What?" The teenage girl uttered at the sight of her friend and neighbor, unconsciously lying on the floor.

This must be some kind of dream, right?

Her first thoughts after realizing what's transpiring in front of her were those of denial. After all, Aaron can't be Wraith, right? Olivia's head was spinning and her thoughts were running on a highway with 100 km/h. "Aaron...?" She voiced hesitantly while taking a couple of shaky and heavy breaths. "Aaron!" She rushed to his side while kneeling to the ground and grabbing his shoulder. "Hey! Snap out of it!" She shook him frantically as her breathing only got heavier. She just couldn't believe what was happening. "Aaron! Stay with me!" Olivia shook and shook as she gazed at the blood slowly dripping from his stomach. "...What am I doing?" She uttered as she looked at her blood covered hands.

I need to do something!

She took a deep breath in attempt to calm herself. "Calm down, Olivia, calm down!" She slapped her face between her hands and opened her blue eyes in determination.

"First, checking for pulse..." Olivia voiced while placing her middle and index finger against Aaron's neck. "Thank god..." She let out the breath she was holding in relief, as she felt a pulsation on her fingers.

"Okay now to make him lie down..." The teenage girl wiped the sweat off of her forehead and rolled up the sleeves of her hoodie up to her elbow. She quickly got up and seized his shoulders making him lie to the ground.

"Okay... It's not too deep so I just need to apply some pressure here to avoid oxygen from getting in... A cloth will do..." Olivia quickly got up and ran to Aaron's room grabbing a T-shirt hanging on his office chair. "Sorry Iron-man!" She apologized to the fictional hero appearing on the gray t-shirt she just grabbed and sat back down next to Aaron.

I need him awake though...

She thought to herself while tapping her chin. "Hey wake up!" Olivia lightly tapped his face with her palm over and over but to no avail. He wasn't responding in the slightest. "Come on, come on!!" She voiced hurriedly while clenching her teeth as she added the shaking method from before in the mix.

"Mrrrghh..." Aaron groaned as his eyelids fluttered.

"Finally! Now I need you to stay awake, okay?" Olivia's sweet voice echoed through his ears.

"Am I... in heaven...?" He uttered weakly while gazing at the ceiling. Olivia didn't reply right away, but instead pressed the T-shirt against the wound on his stomach.

"Aarrrgh!" Aaron groaned by the sudden surge of pain running through his stomach.

"What do you think?" Olivia said as she still pressed on the wound and looked up at him.

"Definitely... Not..." Aaron breathed heavily while looking back down at his body. "Wait... Olivia..? Why are you here?" The young man asked, a perplexed expression on his face. "This must me some kind of dream, right? Maybe if I go back to sleep..." He voiced as his eyelids felt heavier by the second.

"No, no, no! Don't you dare! If you go back to sleep I'm killing you myself!" Olivia said as she pressed on his stomach just a little harder making Aaron arch his back.

"But... that would mean you know... about me..." Aaron voiced after getting his bearings back. "That can't be..." He uttered in disbelief.

"Well now I know so deal with it." Olivia voiced as she removed the cloth and looked at the wound. "Good, the bleeding's stopped. Do you have any bandages?" She asked while getting up.

"Bathroom... left drawer..." Aaron replied while pointing behind her.

"Got it!" She ran up to the small bathroom and quickly opened the drawer to her left, retrieving the needed item. She momentarily placed the bandage under the running water of the bathroom sink and got back to the living room.

"Okay I'm back, you still awake?" She said while sitting next to the lying young man.

"Hey Olivia... why are you here?" Aaron asked with the same perplexed expression as before.

"You have no clue what's going on, do you?" Olivia sighed as she helped his upper body up. "Here we go..." She said softly as she wrapped the fresh bandage around his abdomen and back.

"Are we... going somewhere?" Aaron said while fighting back the urge to close his eyes.

"Yeah, we're going to the movies." Olivia said jokingly as she wrapped the bandage around him a second time.

"Oh good... I wanna watch a superhero movie..." He said in a low voice as he lied back down to the ground.

"That's... ironic. But yeah, it's a promise, right?" The young girl replied with a smile as she supported his back and helped him lie down. But Aaron didn't respond, as Olivia looked away and let out a relieved breath. "You can't possibly believe you're getting out of this, right? And you've also got some explaining to do..." She crossed her arms and returned her gaze to him. "...Aaron?" She voiced while noticing his eyes were closed. "Aaron! Can you hear me?!" Olivia panicked upon realizing he was unconscious. "You're alive, right? Hey!" She shook his body yet again, before bringing her ear to the left side of his chest.

*lub-dub... lub-dub... lub-dub..."

"Aaah..." Olivia finally let out a breath she didn't knew she was holding, as she rested her head on his chest. "Thank god... Thank god..." She muttered to herself as a tear unconsciously rolled down her cheeks. And then another followed. Soon, her cheeks were soaked with tears of relief.

After wiping her eyes with her sleeve she washed her hands from the blood and with what you'd call a herculean effort she managed to carry him to the living room sofa.

He's really Wraith... Aaron... is Wraith...

She thought over and over as she gazed at his sleeping face just a few inches away from hers, as she was on her knees in front of him.

That means that when I texted him for help, he actually came to me. He saved me. He also saved my dad a while back... He really is amazing... Wraith. No... Aaron.

Without realizing a smile had spread across her face. It had been a while since she was so close to him. 6 days weren't all that long, but for some reason, she just didn't want to be apart from him. But after their date, she felt they were getting all the more closer. With each passing day she learnt something new about him. And now... Olivia knew his secret. How would that impact their relationship? And how did she actually feel about him? Those questions lingered on her mind.

"Olivia..." Aaron suddenly muttered, which made her jump up in surprise. But, he hadn't opened his eyes.

Sleep-talking? Oho, now that's interesting!

An evil smirk spread across her face this time, as she edged closer and perked her ear.

"Thank you... Olivia." He muttered while shifting his position slightly, his eyes still unopened. Her expression softened and her posture relaxed. A bashful smile forming on her lips.

"No... Thank you... Aaron. For saving me. I just returned the favor." She said softly while touching his cheek with her index finger. "He's usually so loud and energetic, but now... he looks so peaceful." She muttered to herself while feeling her eyelids getting heavier.

New York, Queens

Aaron's Apartment

6:38

"Mrrrghh..." Aaron murmured while his eyelids slowly but surely opened. "...Wha-?" He muttered to himself as he breathed heavily while gazing at his apartment's ceiling. The young man reluctantly sat up on the couch, noticing Olivia sleeping on her knees next to him. "Oh for the love of God...!" He voiced angry ruffling his hair in frustration. "I can't believe I just blew this whole secret identity thing! You had ONE job Aaron! Well actually I had plenty but that doesn't matter now...!" Aaron said in a low voice as he got up and looked over his bandages. "I'll worry about you later. First..." The young man turned around and scooped up the blonde girl in his arms. "...You are getting some rest..." He whispered while letting her down on the couch and quickly retrieving a blanket to cover her.

...

"Hmmm..." He hummed while looking over his injury through the mirror. After taking care of Olivia he had gone to the bathroom and removed the bandage Olivia had wrapped around his torso. It was currently 6 in the morning and Aaron had slept like a log the day before. As far as his wounds were concerned, the cut had completely closed up and only a faint scar remained. "This healing ability is a serious cheat code, I swear..." Aaron muttered as he put his brand new and, sadly, damaged suit back on and made for the living room. There, he left a note writing:

"Hey, thanks for the help yesterday. I know you want some answers and I'm not planning on running away from you but I need to be somewhere right now so wait here and I'll be right back. There's food on the fridge and you can also play some games if you want. Now that I think about it, you can go home too... Anyway, text me if anything's up.

Aaron"

As soon as he did that, he wasted no time and quickly made for the B.L.U. Facilities, jumping out his window and gliding through Queens.

I need to speak with Steinn...

He thought as he looked at the 5 missed calls on his phone, which were from none other than the scientist himself.