The Waiting Game

Scott's vision was an absolute mess.

In the gloom, a face began to take shape…

A woman's face.

Her features were sharp, unambiguous, and burned into his memory like a wound that refused to heal. Her icy, unforgiving eyes locked onto his, and he couldn't look away.

Her hands were closed around his throat with so much hatred it was impossible to breathe.

"Mom…"

His voice strained with suffering.

"Please… don' t…"

Her grip tightened.

The pressure was suffocating.

She was squeezing the last breath from his lungs.

He clawed at her arms, but they felt immovable, like steel.

"Why didn't you just die──?! I could be enjoying a luxurious life with your father if you just died!"

"I' II do better…"

He rasped as tears spilled down his cheeks.

"Just… stop. Please."

"You'll do better?"

The woman laughed.

"Maybe if you died seven years ago! Why did you survive?! Are you some sort of disgusting cockroach?!"

"I…"

Suddenly, the image shattered.

He gasped and his chest heaved immensely as he shot upright in the dumpster.

Blood spattered from his lips and painted the rusted metal beneath him.

"AGH──!"

Scott groaned and clutched his side as searing pain tore through his ribs. Every movement sent jolts of agony through his battered body.

His armor was a mangled mess.

It offered little to no protection now.

With trembling hands, he gripped the edge of the dumpster and hauled himself up. The world spun violently as he tumbled out and collapsed onto the wet alley floor. His head smacked against the concrete, and he let out a strained grunt.

『Breathe. Just breathe…』

Finally, a familiar voice echoed in his head.

[Stream has been terminated due to critical health status. Please rest and reco…]

"Shut up…"

Scott growled through gritted teeth.

His voice was hoarse, barely more than a whisper.

The System fell silent, but a translucent screen materialized before his eyes.

[Health Status: Critical]

[Ribs: Fractured (5)]

[Internal Bleeding: Present (Severe)]

[Right Arm: Dislocated]

[Left Leg: Sprained]

[Head Trauma: Minor Concussion]

[Energy Levels: Dangerously Low]

[Recommendation: Immediate medical attention. Vigilante activities strictly prohibited.]

---

Scott swiped weakly at the screen with his bloodied, trembling fingers.

"I said… shut up."

The screen fizzled out and left him alone in the suffocating silence of the alley.

His breaths came in shallow gasps as he staggered to his feet and clutched his ribs. The pain was unbearable, but he forced himself forward. Each step was a battle and his body screamed for rest, but his mind fixated on one thought…

『Gwen.』

He gnashed his teeth.

"I have to… get her back. No matter what."

[Your condition is too severe to…]

"SHUT UP!"

Scott roared as his voice cracked.

The outburst drained what little strength he had left, and his knees buckled.

… THUD!

He crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

...

Emma zipped through the streets so fast that everything around her turned into a smear of colors and light.

"HERE──!!"

She skidded to a stop in the alley.

… SKKRRRRRRTTT!!

Her pronounced chest heaved as she caught her breath and quickly looked around.

"NIGHTWATCH!!"

Emma screamed as her voice cracking with desperation.

His crumpled body made her breath catch in her throat.

"No, no, no…"

Emma supersped to his side and dropped to her knees. Her hands hovered over his broken body, trembling as she took in the extent of his injuries. Blood stained his torn armor, and his face was barely recognizable beneath the grime and wounds.

"Nightwatch…"

She sniffled painfully.

"You idiot. You did too much… again."

She gently cradled his face as her thumb brushed away the blood streaking his cheek. Tears streamed down her face as she struggled to steady her breathing.

"You don't seem to be superabled… and yet you still go so hard on yourself…"

But then she realized.

"That's what heroes do… I guess…"

A tear slipped from her cheek and fell onto his bloodied face.

The droplet mingled with the grime, creating a tiny streak of clean skin.

Emma froze and her eyes widened slightly.

Her teary eyes lingered on his torn mask.

Most of it had been ripped away in the fight, leaving only small patches clinging to his face. Curiosity stirred within her… a quiet, insistent voice whispering that this was her chance.

『What does he look like under there?』

Emma hesitated as her fingers brushed against the edge of the mask.

『Does it even matter? What if he's just an ordinary guy? Or maybe… older than I expected? Oh no, I never really thought about that. Could he actually be younger than me? I usually prefer older guys—I think they're better at handling the kind of habits I tend to have. But at the same time, I hope he isn't too much older than me either. Honestly, I just want to see what he looks like—not because I care if he's handsome or anything, but, well… you know.』

Her lips twitched into a faint, self-deprecating smile.

『N-, Not that I'd care. I mean, it's Nightwatch. He's a hero. He's… him.』

But then she pulled her hand back sharply.

"No…"

She muttered.

"No, I can't. It's his identity. If he values it, I should too."

Her voice grew firmer.

"And even if he didn't… it's not about me. It's about him."

She looked closely at him and dressed the strands of his hair she could see… caring for him like a mother would for their child.

『If there's one thing heroes used to value, it was their secret identity. But these days, some of them don't even seem to care about that anymore. For some, it's all about connecting with their fans, as if keeping their identity public makes them more relatable. And even when they do care, it's not because of their enemies—it's more about avoiding the hassle of dealing with the paparazzi.』

She leaned in and planted a kiss on his bloody forehead.

Obviously, she didn't mind the blood.

『I just want any chance to be close to him… but that doesn't seem too likely for now, huh…』

She sighed deeply and shook her head.

"Besides, knowing him, he'd probably just make some stupid joke about how handsome he is under the mask. 'Oh, Emma, you couldn't resist, huh?'… tch!"

Her impression of his voice was deliberately exaggerated, but it brought a fleeting smile to her lips.

Rising to her feet, she slipped her arms under Scott's limp form and lifted him with ease. His weight was nothing to her partly enhanced strength, but the sight of his bloodied body made her stomach churn.

"I'II take you to a private hospital, Dr. Rosen will keep your records off the grid. You'Il be safe there."

As she prepared to run, Emma paused.

"I should call Jenna and Nadia… I'll need their help with… everything. I don't think I'll be able to survive staying with him in his hospital room… alone… together… alone…"

She glanced down at Scott's unconscious face and her expression softened like feathers.

"You' re lucky I'm such a nice person. Tee-hee ♡! You owe me some of that thick, juicy vigilante cream. And maybe I'll let you pound me so hard that I'll be begging for more like a starving dog i──!!"

Too much, but she realized it a little late.

"Porn addiction being my biggest weakness is crazy."

She groaned like a sad puppy.

With that, Emma took off and vanished into the night like a streak of lightning.

━ ━ ━ ━

Woodhull Private Hospital: Dr. Rosen's Office…

The faint sound of pen scratching against paper was all that could be heard as Dr. Rosen scribbled onto a stack of documents with a focused expression.

… VWOOOOOOSH!!

She barely had time to react when a gale-force wind burst into the room, scattering papers everywhere and throwing her carefully pinned hair into disarray.

"What in the──?!"

Dr. Rosen's furious words stopped cold as her eyes landed on Emma, who stood in the center of the chaos with Scott's bloodied, broken body slung effortlessly over her shoulder.

"D-, Doctor Rosen!"

Emma's voice was sharp and panicked.

"Call whatever number you want, bill me whatever you want, but you need to fix him. Now."

Dr. Rosen's fury dissolved in an instant, replaced by shock and alarm as she took in Scott's battered condition. Without a word, she shot up from her chair and brushing past Emma as she rushed to the office door.

"Follow me!"

She barked in her no-nonsense tone.

"I'll get a team to take him to the ER. We need to move fast. Really fast."

Emma hesitated for a moment, trailing close behind.

"But his identity…"

Dr. Rosen shot her a look over her shoulder.

"His identity, right? Relax. It's not my first time dealing with this kind of thing. I'll make sure no one knows who he is. For now, I need you to let us work. Bandages over his face, no questions asked. Happy?"

Emma nodded reluctantly.

"Fine. But if anything goes wrong─"

"Nothing will. Now stop wasting my time."

Within minutes, a team of medical professionals arrived and efficiently transferred an unconscious Scott to a stretcher.

True to her word, Dr. Rosen ensured his face was carefully wrapped to conceal his features completely.

Emma stood off to the side, arms crossed tightly, as they wheeled him away to the emergency room.

"Wait!"

Emma stepped forward with a worried voice.

"C-, Can I… stay with hi─"

"No."

Dr. Rosen cut her off curtly.

"You'll just get in the way. Sit. Wait."

And just like that, the doors to the ER slammed shut, leaving Emma alone in the quiet, sterile hallway.

━ ━ ━ ━

The Waiting Game…

Emma changed into casual clothes which was a form-fitting tracksuit hugging her curvy figure perfectly.

She slumped into a waiting room chair.

For the first few minutes, she simply sat, tapping her foot anxiously against the floor.

Then came the pacing.

Then came the fidgeting.

Finally, she huffed, "I can't just SIT here."

Her eyes darted around the empty hallway before she wandered off in search of something to do.

Anything to keep her mind from spiraling.

---

Emma stopped in front of a vending machine and stared at the rotating rows of snacks. She fished a few coins from her pocket and punched in the number for a bag of chips. The machine whirred but then stopped short, leaving the chips dangling precariously from the edge of the shelf.

"Oh, come on!" Emma muttered.

She crouched down and peered inside, then gave the machine a light shake.

Nothing.

A sign on the side read, "Do Not Tip or Shake."

Emma smirked. "Yeah, right."

With a calculated nudge of her strength, she jolted the machine just enough to dislodge the chips. Unfortunately, the machine let out a loud clatter, drawing the attention of a passing nurse.

"Miss, please don't do that."

The nurse scolded with her hands on her hips.

Emma held up the bag of chips like a trophy.

"It worked, didn't it?"

The nurse sighed. "Just… don't break anything."

"Noted."

Emma winked & popped the bag open as she strolled away.

---

Minutes later, Emma found herself hovering near the ER doors. She glanced around to ensure no one was watching, then slipped through the doors with stealthily. She made it a few steps in before a stern voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Emma." Dr. Rosen's tone was ice-cold. "Out. Now."

Emma froze like a deer in headlights.

"I-, I uhhh… I just wanted to check─"

"OUT."

Head hanging, Emma trudged back to the waiting area.

"Geez, she's scary…"

---

Emma flopped into another chair and tore into her chips as her mind began to wander. This was the first time she'd ever really thought about meeting Nightwatch—like really meeting him.

『What am I even supposed to say? "Hi, I'm Emma, your totally-not-creepy stalker who dragged you here?"』

She groaned and stuffed another chip into her mouth.

『No, no, focus. Keep it casual. Start with the basics. Favorite color? Favorite food? What's his deal with vigilante work anyway? What kind of guy risks his life like that? … What kind of guy could make me worry this much?』

Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she shook her head violently.

"Nope. Not thinking about that."

---

This time, Emma tried a different approach.

She zipped past the ER doors at superspeed, hoping no one would notice her. She managed to make it halfway to Scott's room before a nurse stepped into her path, arms crossed.

"Miss, for the last time, you can't be back here."

Emma blinked innocently.

"I wasn't back here. I was… checking the air quality! It's great, by the way."

The nurse raised an unimpressed eyebrow.

"Fine…" Emma grumbled. "I'm leaving."

---

Back in the waiting area, Emma found a spinning chair at an empty desk. She plopped into it and began twirling herself around, letting out a quiet laugh as the world spun around her.

"You're a grown woman… act like it."

She stopped spinning, only to see a young child watching her with wide eyes.

"You're so pretty, Miss…"

"Really?"

"Mhm, you're like a brown-haired angel!"

"Ohoho, I wish a certain vigilante would tell me that… while spreading my legs apart like butter and fu…"

"…"

"…"

The kid grinned, and Emma gave a small, sheepish wave.

---

By the time the ER doors finally opened, Emma was half-asleep in a chair, clutching an empty snack wrapper.

Dr. Rosen approached with a plain face.

"He's stable…" Rosen said simply.

Emma's eyes lit up, and she shot to her feet.

"Can I see him?!"

"Give it a few hours," Rosen replied. "And please, don't make my job harder."

Emma nodded with much relief. As she sat back down, her thoughts circled back to Scott.

『Guess I'll wait as long as it takes… You owe me, Nightwatch. Big time.』

She slouched in her chair and turned on her phone.

"I might as well check the latest news on his stream. I'm sure it's not gonna be pretty…"

She opened Threadit.

[Subthreadit: t/NightwatchChronicles]

[Thread Title: The Last Stream Was INSANE – Dark Elf, Trickshot, Helicopters, and WTF Moments!]

---

❖ Dark Elf is Too OP, and I'm Here for It

✐ᝰ ┊ u/NightwatcherFanatic

Guys, we NEED to talk about Dark Elf. Like, how do you even fight someone like her?? Her movements? Perfect. Her tactics? Flawless. And the way she just yeeted Mist out of existence? Legendary.

Not to mention, her LOOK. Those red eyes? The all-black fit? She's giving serious assassin femme fatale vibes, and I'm living for it. Even her line delivery was on point. "High heat disrupts vapor… not that hard." Bro, that was ice cold.

But here's my theory: the United Nations GSI list that got leaked might actually be legit. Remember that hacker, @H4XorLord69, who posted it on Chirper before his account got nuked? He said Dark Elf is ranked #19 and Trickshot is #23. If that's true, Nightwatch's in WAY over his head.

Thoughts? Also, why the hell would a ninja assassin need Trickshot to fly her around? It's so random, but I kinda love it.

Top Comments:

[u/WeebSamurai9000: Bro, I'm telling you, she's probably ex-military or something. Her combat style is way too polished for a solo act.]

[u/GrimaceButNotPurple: Ex-military? Nah, she's def got some shadow guild training. That's the only explanation for how she clowned on Nightwatch like that.]

---

Emma shrugged very pretentiously.

"Meh, I still believe Nightwatch is better… way better…"

---

❖ Is Nightwatch Dead? An Investigation

✐ᝰ ┊ u/StreamerSleuth

Alright, I've spent the last six hours replaying the dumpster scene frame by frame, and I'm almost positive Nightwatch isn't dead. Hear me out:

1. When the bombs went off, you can see him rolling to the far side of the dumpster just before impact.

2. The debris cloud was mostly metal, not flesh. If he was shredded, we'd see MORE blood.

That said, he's probably hella injured. My guess? Broken ribs, maybe a concussion, but he's alive. And let's be real, the dude's got plot armor levels of luck.

Also, does anyone else find it weird that someone donated $500 mid-stream asking if he was alive? Like, who does that?

Top Comments:

[u/420NoScopeKing: Plot armor? More like subscriber armor. Bro's entire survival depends on how much we simp for him.]

[u/DumpsterLover69: I'm just saying, that dumpster looked sturdy af. Probably saved his ass.]

---

"Well he's obviously alive…"

Emma grumbled.

She almost crushed the phone in her hand.

"It's like these guys want to make me a widow before I even get married to my handsome vigilante ♡!"

She was barely hiding the obsessed smile on her face.

It was a few inches from crazy.

---

❖ Trickshot Driving the Helicopter is Wild

✐ᝰ ┊ u/ConspiracyTheoryKaren

Let's talk about the HELICOPTER. Did anyone else notice Trickshot casually drinking whiskey while flying? Like, who the hell does that?! And WHY is Trickshot even involved? He's not just some random thug—this guy's a sniper legend with a confirmed kill count in the triple digits.

If you pause at 1:42:37, you can SEE his face reflected in the helicopter window. It's definitely him. I cross-referenced with his mugshot from that GSI leak, and it's a perfect match.

What's his connection to Dark Elf, though? Are they partners? Lovers? Rivals forced to work together? GIVE ME THE LORE!

Top Comments:

[u/FrodoLives69: Bro, imagine being good enough to multitask whiskey AND piloting a chase helicopter. Goals.]

[u/TrickshotSimp420: I don't care what anyone says; Trickshot's eye patch makes him 1000% hotter.]

---

"Trickshot? I think he assassinated the president of North Ilkania two years ago…"

Emma bounced her head from side-to-side as she tried to remember.

"Meh, doesn't matter…"

---

❖ Podcast Highlights: Nightwatch's Last Stream Is Changing The Game!

✐ᝰ ┊ u/PizzaSlicesAndLies

Did anyone catch the "Critical Cape" podcast today? They were breaking down Nightwatch's stream, and the hosts were losing it.

HIGHLIGHT 1: Dark Elf is getting MASSIVE praise. They think she's way more compelling than modern villains.

HIGHLIGHT 2: Mist's L was discussed for a solid 20 minutes. They argued whether it's her fault for being too cocky or Nightwatch's fault for not backing her up fast enough. Thoughts?

HIGHLIGHT 3: They're convinced the stream's cliffhanger (dumpster explosion) was staged for drama. (Personally, I don't buy it. Nightwatch isn't that kind of streamer, right?)

Also, fun tidbit—Bella Trevors (yes, THAT Bella Trevors, the singer/actress) tweeted during the stream:

> "Nightwatch is trending for a REASON. Someone get this man a vacation (and maybe a medic)."

Her tweet blew up with over 100k likes in under an hour. Is she… a fan?

Top Comments:

[u/CapeCritic42: Man, Mist's overconfidence was her downfall. She was too busy showing off and got cooked (literally).]

[u/SimpsForBella: Bella Trevors watching Nightwatch streams? Bro, the crossover we never knew we needed. She'd be the PERFECT cameo for a future event.]

---

"Bella Trevors really watches his stream?! Fuck!"

Emma instantly felt jealous for some reason.

"I swear she's not that hot… well, she's pretty hot, I can't even lie about it, damn it!"

If it was one category of celebrities Emma didn't like, then it was the hot ladies who had a thing for Nightwatch.

"A bit of hypocrisy there, I know… but is it a bad thing that I want him all to myself? I could superspeed us to a faraway place, like maybe San Marino, and we'll just live there in happily ever after peace or something!"

She returned to her phone.

---

❖ Podcast Recap: When Celebs Weigh In

✐ᝰ ┊ u/PodcastAddict666

Did y'all catch Pop Culture Unlocked this morning? They were breaking down the stream, and guess who called in? Freaking Jasmine Valera! (Yes, the Jasmine Valera, pop sensation and Nightwatch superfan.)

She said, and I quote: "Nightwatch falling off that chopper was the most heartbreaking thing I've ever seen. He's a hero in my eyes, no matter what."

Chirper is eating it up, and now #SaveNightwatch is trending AGAIN.

Also, one of the hosts pointed out that Scott's grappling hook tech is probably stolen from Black Industries. If that's true, it means his beef with Dark Elf might go deeper than we thought.

Top Comments:

[u/PopCultureStan: Jasmine Valera needs to marry Scott. I don't make the rules.]

[u/SoSoFIFA: Jasmine Valera over Bella Trevors any day! I don't like that blonde-haired bimbo one bit!]

[u/BigDaddyPervert: High-key… I would let Bella Trevors sit on my face! That dumb bitch, as arrogant as she is, has such a nice body ngl!]

[u/ConspiracyGod88: Bro, Black Ind. is DEFINITELY funding Dark Elf. There's no way she's flying private on her assassin salary.]

---

"STOP TRYING TO PAIR HIM UP, UGGGHHH!"

Emma could feel herself slowly getting mad.

She facepalmed heavily.

"Maybe I'll go on an interview and talk about Nightwatch and how he's awesome. Maybe then Thredditors will start making romance gossips about us, mhmmmm~"

---

❖ Why does chat ALWAYS glaze Nightwatch? Let's be real here…

✐ᝰ ┊ u/TheShurikenThrower

Don't get me wrong—I like Nightwatch, but come on. The man got his ass handed to him last night. Why is chat acting like he's still the GOAT? He's cool, but this whole "he's inexperienced" excuse is getting old.

Dark Elf outplayed him every step of the way. And can we talk about how Trickshot basically clowned on him while piloting a helicopter drunk? Like, it's okay to admit Nightwatch isn't perfect.

Top Comments:

[u/NightwatchStan94: Chat glazes him because he's HUMAN. He makes mistakes, and that's why we love him. If I wanted perfect, I'd watch The Peak flex his fake muscles on WeTube and Glitch.]

[u/MistIsQueen: Chat's loyalty to Nightwatch is fine, but let's not ignore the elephant in the room: Mist is literally the MVP of the last stream and deserves better backup.]

[u/SuspectShuriken: Let's not pretend Dark Elf isn't the real star here. Her fighting style, her dialogue ('You're persistent. I'll give you that'), her tactics—she's the reason we're all talking about this stream.]

---

"I personally think he could've beaten that bitch… I wouldn't mind if he beat up Bella Trevors too, tch! I hate her fucking face so fucking much it's not even funny!"

She could imagine the smug face of the pretty face that was Bella Trevors surrounded by men begging for her autograph like they were dogs.

It made Emma boil up.

"I swear I wanna kick her in the face!"

---

❖ The Chat Glazing Was Next Level

✐ᝰ ┊ u/SarcasmKnight

We need to have a serious conversation about the chat during the stream. Like, I know y'all are thirsty, but saying there was sexual tension during a literal fight? TOUCH SOME GRASS.

Dark Elf threw shurikens at his face, and y'all are like, "She's kinda into him tho." No, she's not. She wants him DEAD.

But the real MVP comment was: "Y'all think ninjas just awkwardly walk away after smoke-bombing?" I lost it.

Top Comments:

[u/GrassToucher69420: Bro, they're just mad they're not the ones getting shuriken'd. Let them cope.]

[u/ShurikenStan77: Okay, but real talk, if Dark Elf did like Nightwatch, would she stop trying to kill him? Or would it be like, enemies-to-lovers trope IRL?]

---

"They'd look horrible as a pair!"

Emma rolled her eyes in disgust.

---

❖ Mist Deserved Better

✐ᝰ ┊ u/MistProtectorForever

I don't care what anyone says—Mist deserved better. She was literally holding her own until Nightwatch got all "I'm the hero" and rushed in.

Also, can we talk about how the chat roasted her WHILE she was getting blown up? Not cool. She's out here fighting for her life, and y'all are making memes.

Top Comments:

[u/Simp4Mist: She'll come back stronger. Vapor Queens don't stay down for long.]

[u/NinjaFanboy: Mist's powers are cool, but she needs to work on countering heat. Dark Elf exposed her weakness HARD.]

---

"Crazy talk… it's almost like they didn't watch the stream. I personally think Mist was holding him back and arguing for no fuckin' reason… she acts like a child. I wonder how Nightwatch can even stand her."

Emma swiped to the next post.

---

❖ H4XorLord69 Was Right??

✐ᝰ ┊ u/ChirperDetective

Okay, so I did some digging after that Chirper post by H4XorLord69 got deleted, and… yeah, it's looking legit. Both Trickshot and Dark Elf are on the GSI's Most Wanted list.

I also found out that Trickshot used to work for a merc group called Black Stone. Dark Elf's affiliations are less clear, but if she's working with him, she's got serious backing.

The real question is: WHY are they targeting Nightwatch? Are they just hired guns, or is this personal?

Top Comments:

[u/PhantomUmbraFanboy: Black Stone was disbanded years ago. If Trickshot's still active, it's gotta be underground work.]

[u/GSIWatcher: Dark Elf is definitely #19 on the list. Someone leaked the full ranking once, and she's been there for years.]

---

❖ When's Part 2 Dropping???

✐ᝰ ┊ u/HypedForNightwatch

Does anyone know when Nightwatch's next stream is? I NEED to see what happens next. Did he survive? Is Mist okay? Are they finally gonna face off with Dark Elf and Trickshot again?

Also, shoutout to the donators. Y'all really carried this stream.

I know Nightwatch just wants to do good and stuff, but I think donations and support really helps anyone in the content creating business, more than we know. He has my support no matter what!

Top Comments:

[u/StreamerSimp2000: If Nightwatch doesn't stream soon, I'm gonna lose it. The cliffhanger is KILLING ME.]

[u/Donator69: Don't worry, I'll drop another $1k if it means we get a rematch.]

---

Subthreadit sidebar update!

• Top Question This Week: "Did Nightwatch survive?"

• Current Trending Tag: #DarkElfDominance

• Stream Highlights Compilation: [LINK]

• Weekly Podcast Recaps: [LINK]

---

Emma switched off her phone and stood up to stretch.

"Huuup!"

She stretched out very tiredly.

"Time to see how Mr. Vigilante is doing…"