I've done terrible things in my life. I'd driven men to madness, shattered them into a thousand pieces, killed them slowly enough that I could hear the progression of their torment from whimpers to bloodcurdling screams. But nothing, nothing, made me feel as monstrous as what I was considering doing.

I didn't mean to hurt Fixit that badly. It was our usual fight, with quips and her silly drones. But then that building collapsed on her, and before I knew it, I was nursing her back to health in my hideout. And now I didn't want to let her go. I was becoming Annie Wilkes--and the only ending to this story I would accept was the one where Fixit stayed forever.

I looked into the mirror and saw three copies of me, standing before me with eyes full of judgement. It'd been happening a lot these past couple of days, as if my powers felt the need to emphasize my mind turning against me in a very literal sense. One of the reflections said to me, "You know you want to do this."

"You know I can't," I fired back.

Another reflection said to me, "All the blood on your hands but this is where you draw the line?"

"If I keep her here, then how am I any different than the shitheels that gave me these powers in the first place?"

The third reflection shrugged. "Who cares? They're dead, we already won. And on another note, if you weren't going to go through with this, we wouldn't be here."

"You three are the worst consciences ever. You know that, right?"

The first reflection chuckled. "That implies you have a conscience at all. Face it: if you let Fixit go, it's business as usual. You go back to fighting her every day, and this all fades into a bittersweet memory. Into something you can't get back. And you know deep down that holding onto Fixit is the only. Way. Forward."

SMASH!!

I punched the mirror, fed up with my copies. As I let the shards fall off my protective gear and hit the granite countertop, I heard a voice to my left say, "Reflectika? Is everything okay?" I turned to face Fixit and replied, "You know me well enough to know I'm far too disturbed of a woman to answer any other way but no."

Fixit, still concerned, had one of her drones sweep up the mess as I said, "You're looking much better. I imagine you can go back to the Fraternity any day now."

Fixit was silent for a while before she responded, "I'm not going back."

"What? What do you mean?"

"I mean the Fraternity can suck a dick and fail at it for all I care. I spent my whole life wanting to be one of them, but what do I find when I get there? Popularity polls, sponsorships, and a pyramid that I'd been jammed into the bottom of with no way to climb up. It's a goddamn reality show over there. And when I get injured in the line of duty, what do they do? Throw me far enough under the bus that they're halfway across the country before I can even get back on my feet. I'm done with them."

I was stunned; Fixit was the picture of a good Samaritan, and she was capable of being this resentful? Before I could form a response, Fixit looked at me and quietly said, "Besides, I...I really like it here."

"Here? As in... with me?"

Fixit blushed but nodded. "Y-yeah. You, u-um, make me feel safe and valued and cared for, and that's...not really something I've had a lot of in my life."

I couldn't stop myself from pulling Fixit into a hug and tearing up. "I want you to stay. I want you to stay here, with me, and I know deep down that I'm capable of something awful if you say no, and I absolutely don't deserve your...your..." I trailed off when I felt Fixit wrap arms around me. She pulled back slightly and gazed into my eyes and softly said, "I'm not so sure I would've said no."

Fixit's words echoed in my mind like the most beautiful symphony. With her hands on my face, Fixit pulled me into a soft kiss. My heart absolutely soared as I pulled her into me. Once she let me come up for air, Fixit whispered, "Will you keep me, Reflectika?"

"Until my dying breath."