A/N So I've wanted to write a fanfic on this book for awhile, and I finally did Enjoy!

Conrad had been tossing and turning in bed for hours. He hadn't been able to get the image of his grandfather and his plots out of his head.

After being picked up by his father and healed by Jasper, Conrad had thought he was alright. He was home again, back with his friends, and he had Piper. Then he was notified that his grandfather was still on the loose, still causing havoc. After all that had happened, all that he had done, he still hadn't been able to defeat Max. The rest of the group blamed themselves, but Conrad took it the hardest.

He was supposed to be the smartest person alive, yet he couldn't figure out how to beat someone?

Conrad sighed and sat up. His hair was a blonde mess of stray strands and weird curls, and he probably had bags the size of Xanthia, but he needed some air. He didn't know why, but he felt like going outside would really help.

He shoved his covers back and walked towards the window, climbing on top of the roof like he and Piper had done many times before. Everything always seemed so exhilarating and fun when he did it with her, even when it was something so simple. Watching her smile was the best thing in the world, and she smiled all the time. He had felt this way for awhile, but he didn't know what it meant.

Conrad shook himself out of his thoughts and sat down on the dewy tiles. The night sky was dark and twinkling with stars, the way only a preserved town did.

Something in him felt like it wasn't enough. Just sitting in the air wasn't enough, he had to be in the air.

Conrad stood up and walked towards the edge of the roof, not caring if he slipped and fell.

The rational part of his brain screamed at him to stop, he couldn't fly, he wasn't Piper. He was being ridiculous, but he found himself unable to stop.

He reached the edge of the roof, staring down into the green field and rolling hills.

Conrad took a deep breath and jumped.

He wasn't sure how it happened, or why it happened, but he jumped. He closed his eyes and waited for the impact, but it never came. Instead, he felt himself soaring in the air, high above the clouds.

Conrad opened his eyes to see the town below him, getting smaller by the second. He was flying, actually flying!

Conrad was always rational. He always had an explanation for everything, though whether or not the explanation made any sense was another thing. And for once in his life, he didn't have an explanation for this.

He spun around in the sky, doing tall arcs and loop-de-loops. He understood why Piper always seemed so happy when she was in the sky. It was something you could never begin to understand until you experienced it, and he now understood. He felt as light as a cloud and as free as a bird. Like he was apart of the sky and he could fly.

He flew towards the heart of town, noticing things he never did from the ground.

He noticed how a lot of the trees held the nests of many different colorful birds, birds he had never seen before. He noticed a secret bend around one of the houses, most likely leading to a clearing in the forest. He noticed how the top of Millie May's roof was slanting slightly, and in a few good years it would fall right off.

Conrad's head was as clear as the fresh air around him s he flew over a vast blue lake, which was bluer than anything he had ever seen, even Piper's eyes.

He didn't know how long he was flying for, and he didn't know where he went, but when the sun was coming up and his feet touched down on the roof again, Conrad had never felt more alive.

He saw Piper waiting for him up there, staring into the beautiful colors of the rising sun like she did a lot. She liked to go up there to think about things, and he would often join her.

Conrad touched down on the roof softly and walked over to her. She smiled at him as he sat down and said, "Have a nice flight? You always seem to be gone when I wake up."

Conrad smiled back at her, a little confused.

"You knew I could fly?"

Piper looked at him like he was going crazy, which he probably was.

"'Course I do, silly. We all do. You okay? You look a little pale."

Conrad shook his head, warming up to the idea.

"I'm Fine. So if I can fly, what's your power?"

Piper looked at him with concerned eyes.

"Conrad. You know, I know you do. You always tease me 'bout being so dang smart and talkin' with my country accent. You sure you're fine? I can call Ma if you want—"

"No! I mean, I'm fine, just dazed is all. It's just weird, for you to be so smart and me being able to fly."

Piper tilted her head, and Conrad's chest fluttered weirdly when he met her eyes.

"Whatd'ya mean? Ain't this the way things are 'spose to be?"

Conrad smiled a bit and looked into the sky.

"I guess so. Just imagine a world where you can fly, and I'm smart."

Piper laughed out loud, holding her stomach.

"A—a world where you're smart? Smarter than me? And Conrad, you know I can't stand to fly. Makes my stomach flutter in a bad way. Imagine what it would be like."

Conrad laughed too.

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

They both laughed together, forgetting all about his silly idea.

"Conrad. Conrad! Connieeee!"

Conrad snapped awake, his eyes opening to the wonderful sight of Piper's excited face. She was wearing a blue dress, similar to the one she wore on her first day at the institute. That brought a smile to his face.

"Good, you're up! Ma's almost done with breakfast and we got work to do today! You've sure been sleepin' for awhile, you're usually up early. You okay? You look confused. We should really get going, But I'm sure ma can . . ."

Piper's feet started to lift off the ground a little, and Conrad sighed, reassured.

He hugged Piper tightly, stopping her rambling.

"Never stop being you, Piper McCloud."

Piper seemed shocked for a second, but a huge grin split over her face and she grabbed his arm, pulling him to the kitchen.

"And you never stop being you! Your weird, smarty pants self. I don't know what'd I'd do if you weren't smart. Could you imagine? A world where I'm smart and you can fly? Man, that'd be weird wouldn't it? Then you wouldn't be you! Anyway, there's a whole lot to farm today, it'll be busy for sure!"

Conrad let her pull him away, listening to her go on about the rest of their day. He knew that he wouldn't change their lives for anything, and he loved it just the way it was