Okay, so this has turned out to be longer than I had anticipated, so I'm splitting it into two (maybe three?) parts. Here's the first. WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR LATEST LAB RATS: ELITE FORCE EPISODE. It's been about a week so I'm sure (I hope) now is an okay time to post.

He has to run. He has to get away. He has to... Has to leave. His mind was swimming with terrible thoughts. Donald, Kaz, and Chase were in the kitchen, laughing about what just happened. Kaz and Chase were making old men jokes. Oliver sat on the stairs by the fireplace and rubbed his temples.

He felt like he was going to be sick. His head was pounding. His heart was racing. The events of today replayed over and over again. The feelings of not being good enough and fear of letting Donald fall nested in the pit of his stomach like rocks at the bottom of a river. He was scared. No, he was terrified. Ashamed. What if that isn't the last time? What if he chokes up again when lives are at stake?

Nobody believed in him. Heck, he didn't even believe in him. They all thought they were going to fall. Even his best friend.

Skylar and Bree walked past him. "Hey guys," Skylar said, stopping in the middle of the living room.

"Did we miss anything?" Bree asked.

"Only the death of the Davenhead on the side of the building," Kaz answered with a laugh. Oliver rose to his feet. Bree laughed with Chase and Kaz and joined them in the kitchen. Skylar was about to, but noticed Oliver in the corner.

"You okay, Oliver?" she asked. His face was hot and his eyes were full of tears. She frowned in concern.

"I'm going to get some air," he said roughly, grabbing his coat off the back of the couch.

Skylar caught his arm before he could leave. "What's going on?"

Oliver swallowed hard and jerked his arm from her grasp. "Nothing. M'fine."

"Oliver!" Skylar called as he stormed out of the room. The slamming of the door silenced everyone.

"What was that about?" Chase asked. Skylar walked to the kitchen and stood on the first stair.

"I'm not sure. He said he was fine but..." Skylar shrugged her shoulders.

"Well, where'd he go?" Kaz demanded, walking around the counter.

"He just said he was going for some air."

"But that's dangerous! Those guys who destroyed Mighty Med are out there somewhere!" Bree exclaimed, her eyes wide.

"We have to find him," Chase said.

Donald nodded. "Go," he ordered.

•••••

You are officially the worst superhero ever.

Donald's words rang painfully through his head. Oliver walked down the streets as if he were on a mission. Maybe he was.

He was angry. And afraid. And his cheeks were stained with tears he tried so hard to stop. The night was cold, but he didn't care. Maybe I'll get hyperthermia and lose my powers, he thought grimly.

A part of him really did want him to lose his powers. That part was stronger than the rest of him that didn't. He was trembling, whether from the cold or from fear, he wasn't sure. What if I hurt someone? What if I can't save them in time? What if... What if...

He stopped in a park. Everything was dark around him, except for the streetlight on a lonely corner. He sat beneath a tree and pulled his knees to his chest. The world had fallen silent, leaving Oliver to his own treacherous thoughts.

•••••

"Oliver!" Kaz shouted as he and Chase ran through the streets. Skylar and Bree were searching the other side of the city. They'd been running for an hour and, even though Kaz's lungs were on fire, he refused to stop. He refused to rest when his best friend could be in danger.

"Kaz," Chase called, grabbing the boy's arm. They slowed to a stop and Kaz looked back at him as he caught his breath.

"What are you doing? We haven't found him yet!"

"I know... I know..." Chase leaned back and sighed at the cracks and pops up his spine. "But we need to rest for a second. I think I dropped a lung somewhere along the way."

"We can't rest! He's still out there somewhere! What if he's hurt? Or captured? Or... Or..."

"Okay, calm down." Chase grabbed Kaz's shoulder comfortingly. "We'll find him, don't worry. He couldn't have gotten far."

"No, but we could be looking in the wrong places."

"The girls are looking, too. They'll call if they find him."

Kaz ran his hands through his hair and stared at the ground. "I can't lose him," he muttered.

"You won't. I promise. Try calling him again." Kaz already knew Oliver wouldn't pick up, but he did anyways. It rang once. Twice. Three times. Voicemail. Kaz angrily threw his phone on the ground. It bounced off the sidewalk and cracked down the screen.

He stared at his phone. He wasn't sure why he was angry, or who he was angry at. Was it himself? Oliver? Was he angry because Oliver ran off? Or because he let Oliver get away?

Suddenly, the screen lit up. The phone dinged loudly. It was in Kaz's hands in a second. A message from Oliver. Two single words.

I'm okay.

Kaz glared at it and typed back furiously.

Is that supposed to make me feel better? Where the heck are you?!

Oliver didn't respond. Kaz's jaw clenched and he turned back to Chase.

"Ready?" he asked. Chase took some deep breaths, jumped up and down a few times, and nodded. Kaz pocketed his broken phone. "Good. Let's go."