Ava woke had woken up every morning with less energy than the day before. Why she didn't know was it because unlike the past 5 years where she had a lazy sleeping man-child to wake up. You would think that not having to move a man brick into moving would give her more energy but she was mostly drained It must be due to boredom she could still remember the first time she had walked to school with Spencer His golden blond hair his purple eyes walking with him made all the other girls in class jealous but even back then she felt some sort of wall around him a kind of darkness that no matter how brightly his smile shone there was always a shadow that wouldn't disappear. Then there was the Jayce incident. Jayce was at the time the big kid at the school bigger by a head than the other kids his age (except Spencer) with a group of 5 friends they usually picked on kids who were too weak or wouldn't fight back and there favorite target was new kids and those who were close to Ava.

Spencer had been there for about a week and was becoming one of the most popular in the class, he was smart, helpful and always smiling, he preferred to rotate groups instead of hanging out with a particular group which was weird to most but anyone who knew him quickly understood. On the day of the incident, it was the day he played with the weird kids the one's who wanted to play card games instead of kickball and talk about what games or anime they were into at the time. However, when he went to meet them they were all beat up all the cards had been ripped and they were crying. That was the first time she saw the change from his usual smiling saint to whatever was in the darkness inside him. Spencer walked over to where Jayce was standing they kept on picking at him and kept going on and on eventually Spencer took his jacket off without saying a word then they the Jayce's gang surrounded him but he still had eye's that froze everyone else, however, the breaking point was the final words Jayce said

“What Little Spency gonna go cry to your mommy”

“”Actually mom's gone, so no but I bet your mommy still has to clean her baby’s sheets because he’s a bed wetter”

“I am not, how dare you were going to destroy you”

“Of course because you're a weak baby who can’t fight on his own”

Jayce threw a punch at Spencer while everyone had crowded around but Spencer had head butted it then kicked him in the head after that the others tried to grab him but he would move then hit them in a weak spot. After they were all on the ground crying Spencer went over to Jayce picking him up and drawing his fist back. However, Spencer dropped him then he began hearing laughter directed at him. Jayce had wet himself in fear. But that wasn't the end of it Jayce had two older brothers one in middle school and one joining high school soon they were waiting for Spencer. The two walked up and asked to talk to him

“Sure, Ava tell the teacher I might be a little late”

However, Spencer's eyes were dark and emotionless a few minutes as class began the teacher began attendance Spencer walked in clothes a little dirty with a few blood specks and he just took a seat as if nothing happened. She got dressed and ready to follow Spencer for some reason another memory popped up.

It was on a Saturday a few years ago knew she liked him but how much was a different story it was more than as a brother but not quite boyfriend levels. She had finally got him to go shopping with her after bringing him around to dozens of stores and they made it to the swimwear store. If she was remembering correctly they had a field trip to the coast coming up and her swimsuit was starting to get tight. Spencer would just wear the same swim trunks he had been wearing for the last few years so there was nothing for him to do. She had accidentally selected a size too small but It looked great but what would spencer's reaction be maybe he’d be speechless at her in a black two piece. Moving the curtain to the size she asked the question

“How does it look”

With a somewhat disinterested look, he responded

“Fine but you may want to go a size up because you look like you'll pop out any second.”

The feeling of total defeat no reaction at all.

They had walked around for awhile after that but walking back a sudden thought came into mind Spencer was an attractive, insanely smart and a gifted athlete, but there was never a girlfriend, Not that the girls weren't trying a number of love letters confessions and date requests was constant but he turned them all down gently. But that was weird Shouldn’t he have someone that he liked or was he just shy but there was the third option.

“Spen we’ve been friends for awhile right?

“3 years yea”

“So you know you could tell me anything right?”

“Uhhhh ya”

“So you would tell me if you were gay right?”

“If I was yes but I’m not so no”

“But you turn down every girl and you didn’t react to my bikini”

“That is a little self-serving But First of all the girls who want to date me just like the idea of it secondly thanks to my brain randomly making certain things pop up the moment we stepped in their I remembered every swimsuit I had ever seen and the women who wore them. then what they are made of ”

“So do you have someone you like”

“Yea but I’m not telling you”

“Oh come on I Could be your wing woman”

“Nah I’m good seen how the love story ends”

“You suck well what about me than”

“Hmm well you don’t look like a troll but considering we look like a young dad taking his small child shopping I'm going to decline”

“You suck you know that, So if I was taller you’d ask me out”

“Don’t think so You're like a little sister to me be weird”

“Well you suck as a brother”

“Haha In the job description we also offer being a pest bothering you and terrifying boyfriends all at no cost to you”

“You suck too, know that”

“But you know that if you ever needed me I’d be there right?”

The normal happy smile he had on was gone replaced with a worried look

“Course it’s the only good thing your for right”

“Well that and getting things from off the top shelf but for you, I can put everything up there”

“Ass”

It had been a few years since then still no girlfriends this lead to most the girls believing that he had a secret one and he was hiding her from them. Knowing Spencer tho he would announce it just to be left alone. But that left her with the mystery Sunday what did he do all day.

As he left early she followed walking the first stop was a convenience store. But that was a good thing for Ava if he was getting something to eat then it wasn't breakfasted as he continued down the street he turned into another store, however, this time it was a flower store. Worrying she called Mia

“Hey Ava what's up”

“I, I don't know”

“K wait to explain from the beginning”

“I saw Spencer leaving his place like he always does and thought I'd see what he was up to”

“K and”

“He just went into a flower shop”

“So you think he has a Girlfriend that he goes and see's right”

“Maybe”

“Listen if he did have one wouldn't you think someone would have noticed him at a restaurant or some she would post pictures of them on Facebook. There are many reasons for getting flowers not just a date or for a girlfriend”

“He's coming out It's a dozen roses 3 different colors”

“Roses, not good people usually only use them for dates this could be bad.

“Don't say that. you said usually, didn't you meaning not always”.

“I don't know what to say Roses are expensive who else would you buy roses for.”

“I don't know but I need to know now Talk to you later”

As he continued she followed almost being discovered multiple times however she had made it just out of sight before he noticed. Ten minutes later he entered another building surprisingly it was a hospital the one her mom was working at. Walking right past the sign in table. the nurse just signed him in however she did not receive the same treatment but by the time she finished he was gone. After wandering the halls for an hour she finally found her mom but no sign of spencer even though she had checked every floor of this building beside the VIP or secure wing. Eventually, she found her mom.

“Mom do you know where Spencer is”

“Why the little spy can’t find him”

“What are you talking about”

“You really think he didn’t notice you?”

“He even grabbed you something from the corner store”

“Then why didn’t he just tell me”

“He said it was kinda cute how you were acting like a 5-year-old”

The two walked towards the VIP wing wear a tall large mean looking guard stood the wing had a few uses besides those who were famous such as politicians and actors they also had high-value witnesses to crimes as well as others as such very few people could gain access. This was true for the staff as well and especially visitors.

“Hey Mike this is my daughter Ava she was supposed to come through with Spencer”

“Ha so this is the troublemaker I've heard about over the years”

“Yea a real hand full she thought she could follow him”

“That kid you’d have to be some sort of ninja I swear was part of the spec op's before coming here kid can lose me then appear behind me and ask what I'm doing “

“Wasn't that on Halloween a couple years ago never thought such a girly scream could come from you

“Kids a ninja cat or something but I shouldn’t keep you they're probably waiting”

“Thanks”

The two continued down the hall

“Ava there are probably some things you should know before you get there”

“Like what?”

“The person he’s visiting hasn’t woken up in 5 years but every Sunday and holiday he comes here”

“Wha-what happened”

“It was before my time but he’ll probably tell you”

“Just please don’t ask about his family it's a touchy topic”

“Why?”

“In all the years that they have had that room, He is the only visitor that has come”

“Wha!”

“Either way it’s best not to bring it up”

“Why didn’t he tell me earlier”

“He said that there was no way he wanted people to feel sorry for him and if you found out you’d do whatever it took to help and there was nothing you could do.”

“Why now then?”

“Ask him”

Ava’s mom led her to the last door on the right side which happened to be the corner room as she entered her eyes immediately found spencer who seemed to have not noticed her and was continuing a story about some cat mage on the table next to him there was a photo of a young him and a little girl the rest o the photo was ripped he looked around 6 in the photo but with him it could have been lower. The roses he had bought earlier were also there were white dark red, and blue. The colors seemed weird but what could she say and finally she looked at the bed. If spencers look made him princely then this girl was a princess her golden hair formed ringlets whether natural or not she didn’t know her skin was as smooth as porcelain the only reason she didn’t think she was a life-size doll was due to her breathing.

“Ugh Spen”

“Finally you showed up I ‘advise you give up being a spy you're just terrible at it”

“Mom told me already”

“Right Ava this is my sister Anesthesia I just call her ana tho”

“So why tell me now? you were really firm on it last time”

“First off she’s probably tired of hearing from me and If my memory serves there's always competition at the end of each test”

“OK….”

“The first beta competition should be next Sunday and I won't be able to come”

“What why not?!”

“Mostly the time dilation by I have to win the two tournaments both the beta and alpha if I come every Sunday I'll lose an entire month in the game before the alpha tournament.”

“Why do you NEED to win the two?”

“Huuuu long story short If you win a tournament Calder will grant a gift, money, weapons, stock, within reason, and they have a project going called deep sleep, that will assist waking up a comatose patient”

“What how?”

“This is why I didn’t want to bring it up it's long and complicated but put simply you put a comatose person in the game they get their brain active then they might wake up after logout”

“So you need to win one”

“The second one is to ensure she has somewhere to go when she gets into the game I can't travel into dungeons if I'm scared she'll slip into a coma if she dies in the game. Can’t take her with me can't leave her alone for to long.”

“So you want a house”

“More like an estate or manor in a city that has good schools and a good military so the capital”

“So you want me to come here on the Sundays you can’t and do what?”

“I don’t know girl talk I guess I know she's tired of me and the only other people that talk to her are the nurses”

“Spencer one question how is this all paid for?”

In all honesty, nothing added up If he was an heir to a fortune there should be people watching out for him. If it was his parents shouldn’t they have visited or something? All in all Getting a room at the hospital should have been hard enough getting into the VIP wing next to impossible.

“The full explanation would take hours but the simple one goes like this Shananagens happens and someone made a call to cover something up so I only have to pay for the regular room cost and that is paid for by the vampires”

“Shananagens and vampires really”

“Well not really vampires I have O null blood making me as rare as a leprechaun riding a unicorn in a fight against a clean shaven mage riding a dragon”

“O Null?”

“Simply put there are like a hundred of us total and I don’t bleed everywhere which is nice”

“So the vampires?”

“You know you're no fun the doctors take a bag out of me when I drop in. Considering I have to ok the use of it for not saving me its worth a lot”

“Why doesn't everyone do it then”

“O null’s are mostly anemic meaning they bleed easy and they can only donate twice a year meaning excluding me 198 O Null blood bags a year”

“And with you?”

“I can donate 26 times a year altho that's not the best for me really should be every 2 months, not 2 weeks but shenanigans I say”

“I see”

“Yea I’m a scientific miracle side note that's also how I make some side money outside of Calder”

“I don’t even want to know”

“What, why I get to fly everywhere and save people who have rare blood types and almost always first class”

The two chatted and eventually the doctors brought down some equipment to draw his blood after a few more hours they left It was only 3-4 PM but they didn’t have lunch and it was almost dinner as the two walked back to the apartment. Spencer began to talk

“Ava thanks”

“For what “

“Being there for her You the only real family we have so thanks”

“No prob that's what I'm here for”

“Hey, you know what …….. Nevermind forget it”

“What? What were you going to ask me”

“Nothing just ignore that”

“Fine”

Walking into his apartment she could see that his face was slightly red but then he disappeared again.