It was silent.
Too silent.
No sirens.
No screaming.
No news helicopters.
Just wind.
Cold.
High above the city.
Cypriana woke slowly.
Concrete beneath her.
Hard.
Cold.
She blinked against early morning light.
Gray sky.
Clouds moving fast.
Her head pounded.
For a second, she didn't remember.
Then she did.
The rooftop.
The city cracking.
Matt's voice.
Choose.
Her breath hitched.
She sat up abruptly.
And saw him.
Andrew was sitting at the edge of the rooftop, legs hanging over nothing.
Looking out over the skyline.
Still.
Calm.
Like a king surveying his kingdom.
Her chest tightened.
"You didn't sleep."
He didn't turn around.
"I don't need to."
His voice was steady.
Empty.
She hugged herself, suddenly aware of the cold.
Of the weight of what she'd done.
The city looked peaceful below.
Normal.
Cars driving.
People moving.
No one knew how close they'd come to dying.
She whispered—
"They're saying it was a terrorist attack."
Andrew's mouth twitched faintly.
"They need a word for it."
She swallowed.
"They're calling you a threat."
Now he turned.
Slowly.
His eyes were unreadable.
"I am."
The simplicity of it made her stomach twist.
She stood, walking closer to him carefully.
"Andrew…"
He looked at her differently now.
Not pleading.
Not desperate.
Certain.
"You stayed."
It wasn't a question.
Cypriana's throat tightened.
"I said I would."
Andrew studied her face like he was memorizing it.
Like he was checking if she regretted it.
"Do you?"
Her heart thudded painfully.
She hesitated.
Just a second.
Andrew noticed.
His eyes darkened almost instantly.
Cypriana forced herself to step closer.
She placed her hand over his.
"I chose you."
Andrew's jaw tightened.
"That's not what I asked."
Her voice trembled.
"I chose to stop it."
Andrew pulled his hand away gently.
Not angry.
Worse.
Detached.
"You chose power."
The word hung between them.
She flinched.
Andrew stood up fully now.
He was taller when he hovered slightly above the ground.
Subtle.
But intentional.
"You knew what would happen if you went back to them."
Cypriana whispered—
"Yes."
Andrew stepped closer.
His voice softened.
"You knew I would lose control."
She nodded faintly.
He leaned in slightly.
"You didn't want that."
Cypriana closed her eyes briefly.
"No."
Andrew brushed a strand of hair from her face.
Gentle.
Possessive.
"Then you chose me."
Her chest tightened painfully.
Because that wasn't the same thing.
Was it?
A phone buzzed.
Andrew glanced toward the sound.
It was hers.
She froze.
Matt's name lit up the screen.
Over and over.
Andrew watched her carefully.
"Answer it."
Her breath caught.
"What?"
Andrew tilted his head.
"Answer."
Cypriana's hands shook as she picked up the phone.
She stepped a little away, but Andrew could still hear everything.
She answered.
"…Matt."
Silence on the other end.
Then—
"You're alive."
His voice sounded wrecked.
Like he hadn't slept either.
Cypriana swallowed.
"Yes."
A shaky breath.
"Are you with him?"
She couldn't lie.
"…Yes."
Matt inhaled sharply.
Cypriana's eyes filled with tears.
"Matt—"
"Did he touch you?"
The question hit hard.
"No."
Andrew's gaze flickered sharply at that.
Matt's voice cracked.
"Cypri… please. Come back."
Her throat closed.
She looked at Andrew.
Standing there.
Watching.
Waiting.
Matt whispered—
"You don't belong up there."
Cypriana's voice trembled.
"Maybe I do."
Matt broke.
"Don't say that."
She squeezed her eyes shut.
"I stopped him."
Matt's voice was sharp.
"You joined him."
Silence.
That hurt more than anything.
Matt whispered—
"He's going to make you do something."
Her heart skipped.
"What?"
"He doesn't want to be alone anymore."
Cypriana's breath faltered.
Andrew's jaw tightened slightly.
Matt's voice lowered.
"And when the world pushes back… he'll push harder."
A tear slipped down her cheek.
"Matt…"
He whispered—
"Just promise me something."
She could barely breathe.
"What?"
"If he asks you to hurt someone…"
Her heart pounded violently.
"…don't."
Silence.
Andrew's eyes locked onto hers.
Waiting.
Cypriana whispered—
"I—"
The words stuck.
Andrew stepped closer behind her.
His presence warm.
Heavy.
Matt waited.
"Cypri?"
Her voice was barely there.
"…I can't promise that."
The silence on the other end shattered.
Matt's breath hitched like she'd stabbed him.
"Okay."
One word.
Dead.
He hung up.
Cypriana lowered the phone slowly.
Her hands were trembling.
Andrew studied her face.
"You chose."
She looked at him.
"I know."
Andrew reached for her again.
This time, she didn't hesitate.
He wrapped his arm around her waist.
Strong.
Claiming.
He looked out at the city.
"They're going to come for us."
Cypriana whispered—
"I know."
Andrew's eyes hardened.
"Let them."
She swallowed.
Her voice small—
"What are we now?"
Andrew looked down at her.
Something dangerous flickered there.
"Free."
And then—
He lifted them both into the sky.
Higher.
Higher.
The city shrinking beneath them.
Two figures rising above everything.
Heroes.
Villains.
Or something worse.
Meanwhile—
On the ground—
Matt stood in his room, staring at his phone.
Steve sat on his bed, pale and shaking.
Matt's voice was hollow.
"She's with him."
Steve whispered—
"What do we do?"
Matt looked out the window at the empty sky.
His jaw tightened.
"We stop him."
A beat.
"And we bring her back."