A.N.: Okay! Here is an idea that I've been thinking about for a bit. It's AU from "Skills," but will go through the entire series... all 52 episodes, plus a lot more drama. This is the starting chapter. And, no, it won't all be Jeith. Everyone of the characters who are in the diner when this is all explained will be highlighted and fleshed out. I just started with that.

"Do you understand the seriousness of what you are about to do?" Jessica asked Keith. She looked stoic, but she was actually completely freaking out on the inside. Her best friend was joining The Electric Company! This was exciting!

"I do," he said, looking her in the eye for a brief moment, where he showed just how excited he was.

"Do you understand the power that lives inside words?" Lisa asked. She too, was excited, but not as much as Jessica. This was more than an initiation. Something major was going to happen today; she knew it.

"I do."

"Do you accept this power and all the responsibility that comes with it?"

Keith was about to answer, but something felt wrong. She saw Francine coming towards them, her intentions clear to Jessica. Without thinking, she shoved Keith out of the way, throwing him into Francine.

When she'd received her skill, there had been a pleasant tingling sensation, like being tickled with a feather. But this time, it was a burning. The pain was so intense, all she wanted was for it to end. She heard her name being shouted in the distance, but there was no way for her to tell. She blacked out.

"Jessica!"

"Jess?"

"Come on, sis, wake up."

"Wh-what happened?"

"Sh! She's waking up!"

Her eyes fluttered open. Her head hurt, and she could barely breathe.

"Keith," she managed to say hoarsely. The colors that had been swimming in front of her were starting to focus. She saw Keith right in front of her. She reached for his hand, which he gave her.

"Repeat.. me," she instructed, "I willingly take this special skill."

"I willingly take this special skill," he repeated. She patted his hand clumsily.

"I'm fine," she said, sitting up.

"Alright, what just happened?" Leo asked. Jessica looked around.

There was no one there. It was only Leo, Shock, and the rest of the company. The lights had been turned off, and everyone was staring at each other nervously, unsure how to answer the question.

"You know the line that says about the responsibility?" Hector asked. Leo nodded.

"We have three responsibilities," Lisa said, "We can't lie unless to defend either ourselves or others from harm."

"Right," Hector agreed, "And we have to help the fight for good in some way or another."

"And we can't have more than three powers," Jessica finished.

"But what happens if you break one of those rules?" Shock asked. The official rules were top secret, and few were privy to them.

"Lying makes you lose your special skill," Hector said.

"Assuming you were doing it for gain and not good," Lisa added.

"Okay," Leo said, still working on processing everything that was going on.

"Not helping in the fight for good takes away all your powers," Hector said, "And the ability to gain powers, too. So, if you fall into a vat of toxic waste... nice knowing ya."

"And if you have three powers?" Leo prompted.

"Death," Keith said, finally speaking.

"Always?" Leo asked. The four with powers nodded.

"It's usually painful," Hector said.

"But there's a good chance in this situation, you know, for a while before death, Jess," Lisa said positively, "Normally, it's spontaneous combustion!"

"How do you all know this stuff?" Shock asked.

"It's an innate part of the powers. Just like being able to hear 'hey, you guys,'" Jessica explained.

"So, wait," Leo said, "Because Jessica stopped Francine from stealing Keith's powers-"

"Yeah, I'll have a painful death, most likely before my time in a weird way."

"Can't you take some sort of medicine to prevent it?" Shock asked sensibly.

"That makes it worse," Hector said, shaking his head.

Keith's POV

How can everyone be so calm about this? Hector doesn't seem to mind. Lisa's just going to assume that her death will be prolonged. Dad's thoughts are clearly on Mom. Shock at least seems concerned about what's going to happen. And Jessica... Jessica is just so calm about it all. This is her death sentence, and it doesn't seem to mean anything to her!

It's my fault. It's all my fault. If I hadn't gotten the power, this would never have happened. How can Jess look me in the eye, after giving her life so that I wouldn't lose my stupid power to Francine.

"I need air," I said before running out of the diner. This was all my fault. Jessica was going to die, and it was because of me. I'm not worth it. Why couldn't she have seen that? Why did she have to be so noble? Why?

The next thing I know, I'm in my mom's room.

No one knows what happened to her. One day, she just stopped breathing. She's been on life support for five years now. Five years on medicine. If this was the same thing, then she would die an extremely painful death. Could it be? I mean, she has the power.

"Mom, what happened? Is it happening again? Why Jessica?" I blinked furiously. No crying in this room. Dad and I set up that rule four years ago. This is Mom's room. She wouldn't want us crying over her.

"Keith," came a gentle voice. I'd recognize it anywhere, but still couldn't believe. How did Jess know I was here? Did she follow me? And more importantly, why do I care? Jessica could drop dead any minute. I should be grateful she wants to spend any of her time left with me.

"It's okay," she whispered in my ear.

"You're going to die," I said rather bluntly.

"We all do eventually."

"Yeah, but you're dying because of me."

"Keith, have you ever heard of a swan song?" I shook my head.

"When a swan knows that it's about to die, it sings more beautifully than it does during the course of its entire life. This is my swan song... the rest of my life."

"You shouldn't have to die yet."

"It'll be worth it in the end."

A.N.: So, that's the first chapter. It's a work in progress that I find rather fascinating. If you guys could review, I would be extremely grateful. As you know, I'm sort of morbid, so this won't be all rainbows and sunshine. But it won't be too depressing. Review, please!