Bubble Boy

The city lights flickered behind Annie as she pulled her hoodie tighter around herself. Her legs ached from the night's work, but there was a buzz in her chest, a thrill she hadn't felt in a long time. She'd been part of something tonight. A real hero, even if just for a little while.

She slipped into a nearby alley, glancing over her shoulder before peeling off the oversized hoodie. Underneath, her normal clothes clung to her skin, damp with sweat. She stuffed the hoodie into her backpack, shaking out her messy green hair.

From the shadows above, a pair of pale, unblinking eyes watched.

The Orphan perched atop a fire escape, his fingers drumming against the rusted railing. His lips curled into a grin as he muttered to himself.

"She's grown up." His voice was low, almost amused. "I can see why the boss wants her so badly now. Shame, I usually go for the younger ones."

He tilted his head, watching as Annie reached her house. She unlocked the door, stepped inside, and disappeared from view.

The Orphan exhaled, licking his teeth. "Not tonight, then." With a casual leap, he vanished into the darkness.

Annie sighed as she shut the door behind her, the warmth of home wrapping around her like a blanket. She kicked off her sneakers, rubbing the sore spots on her ankles before trudging into the living room.

Her breath hitched.

Sam lay sprawled on the couch, her tiny form swallowed by Annie's old blue hoodie. The makeshift bubble boy costume drooped over her arms, and on the TV, yet another conspiracy video about Bubble Boy played.

"Is he a true hero, or is he just waiting to snap?" the narrator droned. "Starman himself has taken an interest in the young vigilante. What does this mean for the future of our city?"

Annie rolled her eyes and turned off the TV. She crouched beside the couch, gently lifting Sam into her arms. The little girl murmured something in her sleep, nuzzling into Annie's shoulder.

Annie carried her to her room, tucking her under the covers before brushing a few stray curls from her forehead.

"Sleep tight, little one," she whispered.

Exhaustion finally caught up with her. She dragged herself to her own room, dropping her bag unceremoniously onto the floor before flopping onto her bed. Her muscles screamed in protest, but she ignored them as she pulled out her phone.

Troy answered after the first ring.

The screen lit up with his face, beads of sweat glistening on his forehead. He was still in his training gear, his breathing uneven. Behind him, the dimly lit interior of Jace's hideout stretched out.

"Damn, you look like you just ran a marathon," Annie teased.

Troy chuckled, wiping his brow. "Might as well have. Shadow doesn't believe in breaks."

Annie smirked. "Good. Maybe you'll finally get some actual muscles."

Troy shot her a mock glare before sitting down on a bench. "What about you? How was your day?"

For a moment, Annie hesitated. Then she exhaled, her lips curling into a small smile. "I joined the Bubble Crew tonight."

The amusement drained from Troy's face. "Wait, what?"

"Relax," she said, stretching her arms above her head. "Jackson said he'd protect me."

Troy frowned. "That's not the point, Annie. You..."

"I was fine," she interrupted, her voice firm. "More than fine. I held my own."

His lips pressed into a thin line, but the worry in his eyes softened just a little. "…Alright. Just be careful."

She gave him a thumbs-up. "Always."

The two sat in silence for a moment before Troy exhaled and stood.

"Gotta get back to training," he muttered. "Shadow's gonna kick my ass if I don't."

Annie chuckled. "Go on, then, Bubble Boy."

Troy shot her a lopsided grin before the call ended, and she dropped her phone onto the bed, staring at the ceiling.

Tonight had been the start of something new.

And she wasn't backing down.

The next Morning.

The soft golden light of morning spilled through Annie's bedroom window, casting long streaks across the floor. She groaned, rolling onto her stomach and burying her face into the pillow. Every muscle in her body ached from the night before, but a small, satisfied smile played on her lips.

Last night had been everything.

Just as she was about to drift back into sleep, a loud thud followed by rapid footsteps echoed from the hallway.

"Bubble Boy is here to save the day!"

Annie peeked one eye open just as Sam sprinted past her door, a blue towel tied around her shoulders like a cape. She had Annie's old swimming goggles pushed up onto her forehead, and in one hand, she clutched a toy bubble wand like it was a weapon.

Annie chuckled, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "Sam, you do realize Bubble Boy doesn't use a bubble wand, right?"

Sam skidded to a stop in the doorway, dramatically flipping the towel over her shoulder. "You don't know that! Maybe he does, but like, secret super bubble wand that nobody sees!"

Annie smirked, sitting up. "Oh, my bad. Please continue, oh great hero."

Sam beamed and took off down the hall again, her little feet slapping against the wooden floor as she shouted, "Justice always wins!"

Annie shook her head, stretching before swinging her legs over the edge of the bed. Just as she was about to get up, she heard her parents' voices from the living room.

"Annie, come here," her mother called, her tone firm.

A small weight settled in Annie's stomach. They saw the video.

She took a deep breath and got up, making her way down the hall. Sam was still playing in the corner, oblivious to the sudden shift in atmosphere.

Her parents sat on the couch, the TV turned off, their faces grim. Her father rubbed his temples while her mother's arms were crossed tightly over her chest.

Her mother spoke first. "You're out on the streets again, aren't you?"

Annie remained silent.

Her father sighed. "Annie… we saw the video. Garden Girl." He practically spat the name. "You promised us you were done with this."

"I was," Annie admitted, standing her ground. "But I can't just sit around and do nothing anymore."

Her mother shook her head. "You almost died last time, Annie. You were in a coma. And now, you're out there again like nothing happened?"

Annie clenched her fists. "I'm not alone. I have people watching my back."

Her father scoffed. "You think that makes it any safer? You think it'll be different this time?"

"Yes!" Annie shot back. "Because I know what I'm doing now! Because I refuse to be afraid of them anymore!"

Her mother's face softened slightly, but the worry never left her eyes. "Sweetheart… I know you want to make a difference. I know you feel like you have to. But the world doesn't work that way. Heroes, real heroes..." she hesitated, glancing at the old newspaper clippings of Starman on the shelf, "...they're different. They're monsters. And you're just…"

"A girl?" Annie finished, her voice laced with defiance.

Her father sighed. "No. You're our daughter. And we don't want to lose you."

Silence stretched between them. Annie looked at the floor, her jaw tight. She understood their fear. She really did. But she couldn't just ignore what was happening outside.

Finally, her mother exhaled, looking away. "We're not going to change your mind, are we?"

Annie shook her head. "No."

Her father ran a hand down his face. "Fine. Just… be safe. That's all we ask."

Annie swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded.

Her parents stood, grabbing their things as they prepared to leave for work. Her mother gave her one last lingering glance before heading out the door.

As soon as they were gone, Annie let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.

Then, a small voice piped up from behind her.

"...So, can I be the villain now?"

Annie turned to see Sam, still wearing her Bubble Boy costume, grinning up at her.

A laugh bubbled from Annie's chest. "Alright, alright. But if you're gonna be a villain, you gotta have a cool name."

Sam thought for a moment before grinning wider. "I wanna be… The Shadow Queen!"

Annie gasped dramatically. "Oh no! Not The Shadow Queen! She's my arch-nemesis!"

Sam cackled evilly, throwing her arms in the air. "Mwahaha! You'll never defeat me, Garden Girl!"

Annie lunged forward, scooping Sam up and spinning her around as she squealed with laughter.

For a moment, the weight of the world faded away.

And Annie just enjoyed being home.