I had to write this! It was dying to get out!

Title: Her Army

Author: Elizabeth

Rating: PG-13

Summary: Joan thinks about her army after Ryan disappears from sight.

Disclaimer: I do not own them nor know them. They are not real. I wish they were and if they were, Adam would certainly be given a clue by now, wouldn't he?

Once Ryan had left her sight, Joan turned to look at the group of friends sitting far away on the steps. Grace sat towards the front drinking her coffee and to her bottom right was Adam absentmindedly eating his lunch. To his top left, Friedman was making little notes in his notebook and to his top left, Glynis was going on about something and Luke was at her bottom left explaining something to Grace.

These were her friends. They were a group of sub defectives, all of who were not special. They were average kids who were trying to get through high school. But according to God they were her army. What was so special about them to make them an army?

Her anarchist best friend was the leader. She was the outspoken one and the one who wasn't afraid to stand in the face of authority. Last night she had experienced the horrible sight of her family's synagogue being diminished to a pile of charred rubble. Last night, she had stayed awake for some time in Joan's room staring at a spot on the wall before her eyes forcefully closed on her. She had decided this morning to study for finals so her father wouldn't have to worry about her on top of everything else. Ryan had tried to destroy her. It didn't work. She was still standing, hitting Friedman over the head each time he did something dumb, and sitting there wondering what was going on with Joan. Grace was her leader.

Her little brother was the annoying science geek. He knew everything about science and unified field theory was all his. He could be an easy target because he is so into science. But there's an advantage. He's dating Grace and he loves her though he hasn't said it. He would never turn his back on her. He would also never turn his back on Joan. There was no way Ryan could get to Luke. He was the one who could come up with the strategy, the scientific way to go about doing things in order to protect what Ryan was trying to take. Luke was her strategist.

Her brother's equally annoying freak of a friend. What could he do other than avoid being hit over and over again by Grace, Glynis, and herself? He was also a science whiz. He won against Luke for a dinner at a steakhouse. He could help Luke come up with ideas. He could be her next strategist.

Her brother's ex-girlfriend was coming into her own skin. She had been flaky, she still is, but she tries not to be. She was as into science as Luke and Friedman were. She was smart. She was loyal. She'd also be the strategist.

These three people had one common bond: science. Science could be their downfall. She would not let that happen.

Her ex-boyfriend. He would be the tough one. He actually liked Ryan because he saved his life and got him an internship. Ryan had already gotten to him. She would have to try and get him to stay. He had to stay for her and for Grace. But he would only stay if she opened up. How could she open up? He'd think she was nuts! She would have to fight for him and for the world. He did a stupid thing that broke her heart but she would not let Ryan take him. Adam was the pawn, though she hated to admit it. He was already smitten. She had to break the image down before he was taken for good.

Grace Polk, Luke Girardi, Friedman, Glynis Figliola, and Adam Rove were her army of warriors. They would be the ones to keep Ryan from winning. She needed them on her side.

She needed to win with them.

Her army.