Disclaimer: The Tomorrow People is the property of the CW. No copyright infringement is intended.

~X ~

Her head jerked up when the doorbell rang. After a moment she cautiously sidled over to the short hallway leading to the door to peer around the corner, while at the same time keeping herself out of view. Astrid had learned caution the hard way, and she still maintained a wary vigilance.

The sight of that handsome, familiar face visible through the glass pane quickened her steps, and she rushed to throw the door open. She leaned against the frame, blocking his entry, eyeing him up and down with a sly smile.

He stood uneasily, hands jammed in his pockets. "Are you gonna let me in?"

"Uh huh." She reached for him, only to be grabbed and embraced in a bear hug, while a little sob escaped him. She hugged back until something in the frantic way he clung to her alerted her that all was not well.

She pulled her head back, worried now. "Stephen? Everything ok?"

She felt him tremble and shake his head.

"Let's go inside." She pushed away now and turned, groping and finding his hand. She led him unresisting to the little alcove where the sun shone in. She sat, patting the cushion next to her. He followed suit, leaning forward, elbows on his knees, arms pyramided to support his bent head in his hands.

She watched him for a moment before pasting a bright smile on her face and forcing a cheerful tone. "It's been so long. Sorry, I didn't try to contact you. I was depressed over John and –"

"He took my powers."

"– I can't help obsess – What did you say?" She had talked over him for a moment before the significance of what he was saying penetrated her consciousness.

"What?" she repeated, stunned.

"He took my powers." Stephen never looked up, his voice dull, lifeless.

"Who? When? How?" The questions tumbled out of Astrid's mouth, chasing each other.

Stephen sighed and dropped his hands, tilting his head to look over at her astonished face. "Jedikiah. He sent John to trick me into coming in. It's been a week since–well, since."

"No. No." Astrid shook her head in denial. She added emphatically, "John would not do that. No way." Astrid was adamant. "I know time wise I haven't known John that long, but . . ." She paused and hammered out the words. "I – know – John. He would not do that."

"He's not John!" Stephen's harsh wild laugh scared her.

"You're not making sense, Stephen." She eyed him for a moment before standing and pushing his upper body upright and back against one of the decorative pillows. "Wait here for a moment."

She hurried out to the kitchen returning with two cans of their favorite soda. She popped the tab on one and forced it into his hand. "Drink."

She popped the other can, and more or less collapsed onto the cushion, sitting on one curled leg, her body facing him. He gulped his drink in silence, while Astrid took a couple of distracted sips, her mind furiously churning the entire time.

"Where's Cara?" was her first question.

Stephen looked at his soda can, while he spoke. "On Jedikiah's team now." He shrugged his shoulders. "She doesn't know me." He qualified that statement. "Well, she knows my name. That I'm Jedikiah's nephew. That I need to be avoided."

Still looking at his drink, he gave a lopsided smile. "She disappeared. I felt her go." He tapped his forehead with an index finger. "She was confused. Then frightened. Calling me for help. And then nothing. No connection."

He turned to Astrid, and the pain on his face made a region around her heart ache. "I kept reaching for her, and it was like it was a bad connection. Nothing got through."

He sighed and dropped his hands, cradling the can, to his lap. "John came to me. Said Jedikiah had Cara. That he would help me rescue her." He grimaced and pounded his leg with a fist in frustration at his naiveté. "I was so worried about Cara I never questioned him. Never tried to read him. Just assumed he was human."

"Assumed he was human?" Astrid questioned. "Of course, he's human. What are you talking about?"

Air escaped Stephen's nose, making an abbreviated snorting sound. "See, that's the crux. He's a TP again. Jedikiah told me everything after he . . ." Stephen shuddered and stopped what he was going to say. "He gave John my father's powers. His DNA." Stephen shook his head in amazement. "He feels this makes John his family. His son."

Now Stephen laughed silently, his body shaking.

Astrid reached a gentle hand over to rub the back of his neck. When the tremors died down, she quietly asked,"So, even if John was grateful for getting his powers back, he would still never betray you or Cara. I won't believe it. I can't believe it."

Stephen turned to look at her again. "I agree. But Jedikiah wiped his memories. Same thing he did to Cara. As far as John is concerned Jedikiah is his mentor, his boss." Stephen grimaced. "His surrogate father. The man who rescued and raised him."

Astrid's mouth dropped open, an expression of horror on her face. Her hand involuntarily reached up to cover her mouth. "How could he do that to John? Why would he do that?"

"I asked him. He said he was never gonna lose John again." Stephen's voice expressed his amazement. "He didn't want anyone coming between John and him. He said, 'I want that kid with me'."

Astrid, hand still placed against her lips, and Stephen regarded each other in silence. She finally took her hand away to place it on his arm and squeeze reassuringly.

She spoke slowly in disjointed fragments, as she considered the implications of his words. "It makes sense really. I knew John would never – even if he no longer cared he would–if John said he would come back then only . . ."

She straightened up. "I was afraid Jedikiah had killed him."

Her face fell for a moment, one hand fluttering in a helpless gesture. "So, everything we shared together is gone." She chewed her lower lip thoughtfully before giving a decisive nod. Her voice was resigned. "I can accept this. He's not dead. He deserves a chance to live. Have a bucket list. He's probably happy being back with that man – without all the baggage that ruined things for them. He certainly went with him willingly."

Stephen watched her, admiring his childhood friend's strength. He had always taken that strength for granted. He never would again.

She turned back to him. "I'm so sorry about Cara. Is there anything you can do? I'll help anyway I can."

Stephen smiled, really smiled, for the first time in days and reached to clasp her hand, squeezing tightly. "I know you would."

He sighed. "I can't even get near either one of them. They have orders to avoid me. Only Jedikiah has the knowledge and equipment to transfer someone's powers to me."

He half seriously asked, a rueful grin on his face, "Do you still want to be friends with Stephen Jameson, ordinary human?"

She grinned back. "Yeah, dorky Stephen is okay with me."

"I'm not dorky," he protested laughing.

Astrid sobered up quickly. "Do we need to worry about the fate of humanity or the Tomorrow People?"

Stephen considered. "I've been thinking about that for the last week." He shook his head. "I don't think so. My devious, conniving, double dealing, power hungry, snake in the grass Uncle Jed will make sure both species survive. His child may be a TP. The son of his heart definitely is."

Stephen scratched his head. "I don't think my uncle will let either species go under. He's gonna get in touch with my mother and tell her to come back." He laughed. "He's also turning a lot of money over to me. From my father's patents. Told me to find a good college and make something out of myself."

Astrid smiled. "We'll be in college like we always planned. If you stay in New York, we'll be near each other."

Her smile faded. "Losing Cara will hurt for a while, but you're strong. You will recover." She tried for a lighter mood. "Hey, we can form a support group. We'll call it 'Life after Loving a TP'. You can help me get over John."

Stephen laughed briefly, but then his brow furrowed. "The connection is gone. That warm feeling, the constant awareness of her mood. All gone." He hesitated. "I will always care, but it's not the same."

Astrid watched him carefully. He turned to look at her. "I never want to lose you, Astrid. I realize now you've always been the most important person in my life. I haven't always appreciated you, but I won't make that mistake again."

"Hey, don't go all gooey on me now," she responded.

He smiled again, and it felt good. "I never really wanted all that responsibility. In a way, it's like a big weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I can go on with my life like these past six months never happened."

He looked down. "I'll never regret getting to meet my father again and knowing that he was proud of me."

Astrid gave him a moment and then nudged him with her shoulder. "Hey, I'm hungry. Whatya say to some dumplings?"

"I'll treat. I'm gonna be a rich man now." Stephen mock swaggered.

"Still a dork, though," she teased.

Stephen stood and pulled her up. "As long as I can be your dork."

Astrid, shy now, said, "We can talk about that."

He nodded and they left hand in hand.

~ FIN ~