Show and Tell
by Birgit Staebler

Nothing had changed. Everything looked so completely normal. Eyes swept across the room, looking for the scars of battle, the open, unhealed wounds, the debris.
Nothing at all.
None of it.
The floor that had been sliced open by the magic spear, disemboweled and left a gaping, jagged injury of the expensive wood, was smooth. No sign that it had been in ruins mere weeks ago. The coffee table that had lain in ruins, the glass scattered like a myriad diamonds across the floor, had been replaced by an almost similar one. But only almost. He could see the difference. Still, nothing was there to prove his memories. The new table gleamed in the late morning sun, polished wood and all.
Ace Cooper hesitantly stepped into the large living room as if he was afraid the ground would open up beneath him, that he would fall into the hole he had left right here. Where he now stood. Eyes riveted on that spot, he failed to notice his host approaching.
"Penny for your thoughts."
The soft, female voice jolted him out of his musings and he turned. A cup of steaming hot coffee was held out to him and he took it with a grateful smile. He gazed at the red-haired woman, losing himself in the untouched beauty of her. No fear showed in her eyes, no anger, no hatred, no blame. He smiled as she did, chasing the darkness of those memories away.
He was past that.
It was history.
Ace had come here last night to talk to Mona. Not because of what had happened throughout the days he had been under the control of Pax's device. Well, more or less. That was the past as well. Talked about, accepted, forever in his memories. He wanted to try and explain something she had inadvertently witnessed, something she had held back asking about until Ace had healed from the events. Now she wanted to know.
They had not scratched the topic throughout their date. They had talked about all and everything, about emotions, about feelings, about what had happened. As painful as it was for Ace to recount the events, he was also feeling the weight lifting off his soul with each word. Mona had listened attentively, had assured him she would never hold this against him, that she didn't fear now -- or ever had. She had been afraid of the evil Ace, the dark side, but she believed in him, the real Ace.
Ace was warmed by it and reassured again.
Blackjack was still in the hospital and would remain there for a while longer. He was conscious, he was out of danger, and he had been transferred to a private clinic of his choice, just like Spade and Diamond, but he wasn't ready to take his place in Electro City's underworld yet. Clockwise did his business for him, and quite well, as Mona had told him sarcastically. No word had been lost as to who had injured and nearly killed the crime boss, and Blackjack kept his mouth shut. Ace didn't know how this all would influence Blackjack's hatred of him, but he knew the man would be more cautious now. He had seen Ace's potential, the ability to go beyond everything he had thought possible, to lose his inhibition.
Ace had spent the night here and had woken about two hours ago. It wasn't something out of the ordinary at all, though most of the time he left either late at night or early in the morning. Or Mona came to stay overnight at the Express.
Now Mona looked inquisitively at him and he shrugged. "Nothing much."
She didn't really believe him the 'nothing much', which he saw in her eyes, but she didn't press the issue. "Walk?" she suggested.
He nodded and they went outside into the large garden with its reflecting pool and high trees. Mona took his hand, firmly clasping her fingers around his, and he returned the gesture. They walked silently for a while, enjoying the warmth, the silence only broken by the song of birds and the hum of insects. Arriving at the reflecting pool, Mona sat down on a stone bench, gazing into the water.
"What's up?" Ace asked, knowing fully well what was bothering her.
"I think you know," was the reply and her clear eyes met his. "Cosmo."
Ace sat down beside her, eyes studying the water for a while. "This isn't easy," he said slowly.
"For who?"
"Both Cosmo and me."
Mona looked straight at him. "Since when does he know magic, Ace?"
Ace sighed deeply. This was really difficult. He had talked to Cosmo when the teenager had mentioned Mona witnessing him casting the defense spell against Ace in the first confrontation, so Ace had known questions would follow. Cosmo had vehemently fought explaining anything but the necessary basics to Mona, least of all the empathic link. Ace agreed that the empathic link didn't need to be known to anyone but those who knew already. How to explain it to Mona anyway? And would she actually understand? It was like having a witness, an emotional witness, to their dates! Even if Cosmo shielded, he never got away unscathed.
No, just the basics.
For now.
"Cosmo discovered his abilities less than a year ago," Ace said softly. "It scared him. More even than it scared me. For me it was a curse at an early age, but I hid it. I learned to hide it. For him...." He hesitated. "For Cosmo it was a sudden burst of power at an age where most magicians have already manifested their powers, and he fought it."
Mona nodded, understanding. "He has learned. The blast was.... amazing."
"He knows a few spells, but all have their limits. Like, after the first use. What he did to defend Vega..... I think you saw what it did to him."
She nodded slowly again. "Yes. He looked so tired and exhausted."
Ace rubbed his neck. "That's the truth. Cosmo isn't a full magician yet, Mona. He's training his powers and he doesn't want this to be publicly known." Ace sighed. "He hates having anyone know it."
"I understand. I won't say a word, I swear."
He smiled. "I know."
"So, you're training him?"
"As much as I can. There is no one else."
Ace felt unwell hiding so much from Mona. The link, the intense empathic bond.... it was part of Cosmo's powers and he couldn't tell her. He just couldn't. Then there were his other powers. She knew just a fraction, a tiny fraction, and he had to evade every deeper poking.
Mona took his hand, squeezing it gently. "I won't tell anyone, Ace. I swear."
"Thank you," he answered sincerely. He knew he could trust her.
She leaned against him and he slid an arm around her shoulders. They remained like this for a long time.

* * *

"So she knows."
Ace looked at the red-head slumping against the Express, arms crossed in front of his chest, looking decidedly unhappy. The magician walked over to him and sat down on the stairs leading inside. The day had held its early morning promise of sunshine, and it was warm with a refreshing breeze now and then.
"She does," he answered the statement.
Cosmo sighed, the unhappiness rising. He didn't like it. He really didn't like it. His magic was something he wasn't too comfortable with others knowing about, and it had been a burden to his mind and soul already to have Vega know about it. Kate was kinda okay. She was a magician as well and her insight helped now and then. Vega..... he had accepted it now. Heck, it was useful to have Vega know about it. Now Mona.
"She won't tell anyone, Cosmo. I trust Mona. She could have told everyone already. She saw you cast." Against me, he added to himself. A painful recollection in many ways.
Cosmo exhaled explosively, chin resting on his chest. "I know, I know. It's just...." He gestured helplessly and paced a few steps up and down.
"You want it to be our secret for now."
Cosmo nodded slowly. "That, and it's something personal. I don't want it to develop into some kind of sensation. Magic is freaky stuff, man."
And you don't want to be a freak, Ace translated to himself.
"I know," he said softly. He knew only too well. "Mona simply knows you can access the power, but she doesn't know what it means. She doesn't know about the link. I won't tell her. Not without your agreement."
Sooner or later they had to tell. Ace was broadcasting his emotions toward Cosmo and Mona was part of those broadcasts now and then. It was unfair to her to hide the link forever.
Cosmo looked at him, eyes a mixture of emotions.
"Not now," Ace added.
"Thanks," he whispered. "It's not that I don't trust her.... it's.... aw, man.....!" Cosmo shook his head. "Maybe I don't trust her. Not really anyway. She's not like us, but she's your friend, Ace. I know..... But.... I mean, maybe I wouldn't have wanted Kate to know if she hadn't been able to tell. ...." Cosmo sighed deeply. "I'm babbling, right?"
Ace chuckled. "Not too much. I understand you, Cosmo. I understand you only too well. I felt almost the same."
"And Mona?"
"She didn't ask for details and I think she knew I wouldn't have told her anyway. It's your decision and yours alone. You tell who you feel you can trust with the secret."
"Okay, dude." Cosmo inhaled deeply, studying the concrete beneath his feet. "Okay."

Ace smiled slightly. It would take some more time for Cosmo to become completely comfortable with another person knowing about his magic. Vega was a given fact because he was their friend. He had been there almost every step of the way of Cosmo's powers developing. Kate was natural because she was a magic user and had an even deeper insight than many into what made magic tick. Now there was Mona. Ace trusted her to keep this secret and he knew this trust was well-placed and wouldn't be misused.
"So, you in for some really unhealthy fast food?" he asked casually.
Cosmo looked at him from under the thick mop of red hair, a calculating expression in his gray eyes. "Your treat?"
Ace grinned. "My treat, your choice of restaurant."
"DJ's," the teenager decided immediately.
DJ's was a rather well-frequented fast food joint in the middle of the Electro City Mall, one of the largest mall's this side of the state. It had a decent selection of meals, some even sounding remotely healthy, and Ace had been there before.
"DJ's it is." He got up from the stairs.
Cosmo grinned and followed him to where the Magic Racer was parked. Angel automatically shut the door leading into the train as the two men climbed into the car. Ace almost docily eased the Racer away from its parking space and proceeded toward the downtown area. Ace knew Cosmo wouldn't be comfortable with Mona knowing his secret, but he would used to it.
It would take time and time was something they had.