I hear a yell and turn to look, just in time to see a woman slip over the edge of the bridge we’re on. Not just any woman. Rose. My fiancée. The woman I loved, with whom I wanted to spend the rest of my life.

Of course, saving her would be easy. At this height, she wouldn’t hit the ground for almost five seconds. Plenty of time to teleport to her, grab her, and move us both to safety. In all, a very typical rescue that I’m well practiced in. There’s just one catch.

I’m not in costume.

H.E.R.O. Law states that I am forbidden from using my powers while in civilian clothes under any circumstances. No one else is around, but there would be no way to hide my powers from her if I did this.

In this fraction of a moment, I have a decision to make. Face the high council and be striped of my title and place amongst active heroes, living as an outcast amongst my former peers, or lose the woman I love. A mercifully easy decision all things considered.

I rush to the ledge that I saw her tumble over and vault over the railing, spotting her mid fall. I quickly realize my hesitation cost me precious time, and she’s now much closer to the ground than I’d like. I will myself to her side, feeling the familiar rush as the world blurs around me, placing me beside her. I grab her tightly, supporting her head and neck to prevent any whiplash as I prepare to teleport us both. Through my focus in teleporting us both to safety, I hear a sickening crack as something made contact with the ground before we both shift upward.

In a well practiced maneuver, I had oriented us upside-down, allowing what was our downward momentum to instead launch us higher in the air. Then, at the peak of our movement, just before we started to fall again, I focus back on the bridge we both started on, giving us a safe spot to land.

I land on my feet, but find myself unable to balance properly, and fall over. Looking down, two questions are answered. That crack from before was my own leg hitting the ground, and the shattered bones in what used to be my shin were why I couldn’t stand properly.

I look over to Rose, ready to answer her questions. But she just silently stares at me, a look of surprise on her face. I decide to speak first, before the shock wears off and I start to feel the mess of my former leg.

“Yes. I am Zip. No, I couldn’t tell you. Yes, I’m sorry I lied to you. Yes, that does explain why my ‘work’ hours were so strange sometimes. No, I can’t introduce you to other heroes. Even if I wanted to, I don’t know their civilian identities. And yes, if you’ll have me, I still want to spend the rest of my life with you. That should cover the basics. Any other questions you have?”

She continues to look at me in silence. After a moment, she reaches into her bag and pulls out… is that a H.E.R.O. issued med kit? Why does she have one of those? Questions fly through my mind as she takes out a syringe and jabs it into my leg, flooding my system with a nano-bot swarm that will slowly start repairing the damage.

Then, for the first time since this started, her look of shock breaks into an amused smile. “Hello Zip” she says, holding up her hand. She snaps her fingers, and a small ball of fire materializes, covering just above her fingers. “I’m Ashe.”