How to Date a Superhero Ch. 06

"Where is he?" Penny asked.

"In the living room," Jordan assured her, "He didn't want to let me in when I came knocking on his door, but when I knew what your real name was he finally believed I was your roommate. He's really protective of you, you know that?"

Penny lifted the sheet to look down at herself. Her left leg was re-bandaged and her biceps were red where Inferna had burned her, though they appeared to be healing quickly and no longer throbbed with pain whenever she moved her arms. A man's pajama shirt covered her petite frame and her body had been washed free of dirt and soot.

"He's the one who took care of you," Jordan answered Penny's unspoken question, "He cleaned you up and dressed your wounds. He's an intense guy, but he seems to genuinely care about you. Did something happen in Olympus?"

Penny closed her eyes for a moment, still exhausted from her fights, "We had sex."

"What!?"

"We had really dirty sex. Twice."

Jordan laughed, "Seriously?"

Penny nodded, a tear slipping out from under her eyelid.

Jordan sobered, "What is it? Are you in pain?"

"I killed someone," Penny murmured.

"I know," Jordan put her hand on Penny's wrist, "That was on the news too. You did what you had to do. Inferna couldn't be stopped. She killed over a hundred people; over half of them were just kids going to school! They're calling you a hero, after everything you did. I mean, you stopped Slipstream, Inferna, Heckyl and Jeckyl... all while barely able to stand. You can't blame yourself, honey. No one else is. No one could stop her. If you hadn't killed her, she was going to kill you and a whole lot more."

"I know... I still feel like shit about it." Penny lifted a hand to wipe off a tear off her cheek and push at her hair. "What the hell?" she felt with her hand, noting her long waves had been cut to barely shoulder length.

Jordan winced, "Sorry, I had to cut your hair. The ends were all burnt!"

"How long have I been out?" Penny suddenly wondered.

"You've been kind of in and out," Jordan replied, "For about two days."

"Jesus," Penny breathed, "You've been here the whole time?"

"More or less," Jordan nodded, "I went home once to get some clothes, but otherwise Apollo let me stay here. You really had sex with him?"

Penny pushed herself up by her elbows to sit against the bed's headboard, "Yeah."

"What about Travis?"

"What about him?" Penny frowned, "He broke up with me. Besides, it looked to me like he's moved on too."

Jordan winced, "I'm so sorry about that. It just kind of happened... during the storm. You were gone and we were in the basement. I was scared shitless and he just put his arm around me and made it all okay, you know? And then... I kissed him. I haven't seen him since that night you walked in on us and I swear nothing happened, other than a little making-out on the couch."

"It's okay," Penny rubbed her eyes, "I get it. Travis is a sweet guy. He's actually kind of perfect for you."

"Are you over him?" Jordan asked cautiously, "I mean, are you and Apollo...?"

Penny shrugged bonelessly, "I don't know. I liked Travis and I felt like we were really falling for each other. But then we broke up and Apollo somehow got under my skin. I mean, Apollo's totally wrong for me on paper, but there's something about him that excites me like nothing else ever has. I don't have to act like shy, naïve little Penny when I'm around him, either. I can just be myself, which is a lot closer to the Mega-Girl side of me. Does that make sense?"

"Of course it does," Jordan squeezed Penny's wrist, "I know you as well as anyone, and you're like two different people depending on if your mask is on or off."

"Which one do you like better?" Penny asked, worried over the answer.

"Honestly?" Jordan pondered, "I think the real you is somewhere in-between. That's the girl I like best."

The two girls hugged, quietly enjoying the embrace of their close friendship.

"Thou art awake," Apollo spoke in his deep voice, standing in the doorway.

Penny smiled at him over Jordan's shoulder, "Hey."

Jordan let go and glanced at Apollo.

He was dressed in dark brown canvas pants and a light sweater. It was odd to Penny at first, seeing him in modern clothing, as she had only ever seen him in his armors, prior.

"Thanks for coming to pick me up in that parking lot," Penny reached a hand out towards him, "For taking care of me."

Apollo approached and took her hand, lifting a kiss to the back of it, "Thy bravery in fighting with such wounds put even the greatest warriors of Olympus to shame, my lioness. Never before have I beheld such courage. T'was my honor to recover thee from the battlefield."

Jordan mouthed 'lioness?' towards Penny with a grin.

"What about Lauren Smith?" Penny suddenly remembered, "Did you find her?"

"Aye. She was where Artemis stated she'd be."

"Well? What did you find out? Did she tell you why she tricked you into trying to kill me?"

Apollo's expression turned grave, "It seems you have gained the eye of mine uncle, her master."

"Pluto?" Penny looked surprised.

"He placed a spell on the bow of Minerva," Apollo explained, "Any mortal slain by its arrow will have their soul descend to Hades, where they fall to his domain."

Penny looked confused, "But why me?"

"He would marry you," Apollo stated, "Make you queen of the underworld, at his side for all eternity."

Penny's eyes went wide.

"Wow," Jordan muttered sarcastically, "This uncle of yours is a real romantic, huh?"