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

Author's Note: ~ "text" ~ indicates telepathy.

xxx TTP xxx

John arrived a moment too late. The shot was fired and hit Jedikiah right in the chest then he fell to the ground. Time seemed to slow down as John watched Natalie smile then teleport out.

"Nooo," John yelled and ran over to Jedikiah. He dropped to his knees and tried to stop the bleeding.

"John," Jedikiah said weakly. "It's too late."

"No, we just need to stop the bleeding," John was trying to stay calm, but was not being too successful at it. He was pressing both hands against the wound to stem the flow of blood.

"John ... stop," Jedikiah was trying to get John's attention. "Son, please." He weakly tried to grab John's arm. When John looked at him, Jedikiah could see the tears in John's eyes.

"I'm sorry ... everything ... I've done, I did ... because ... I didn't want ... to lose you ... again."

"What are you talking about? You're not making any sense." John's fear and confusion was evident in his voice.

"John, stay safe ... I love you, son." With those words, Jedikiah died.

"Jed!" John yelled. He was still trying to stop the bleeding. Every once in awhile looking around for help.

A few moments after Jedikiah took his last breath, police descended on the area. The police pulled John away. He was in a state of shock, not sure what to do or where to go. He knew they were asking him questions, he just couldn't think about anything other than Jedikiah being gone. His boss, mentor ... father was dead.

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Cara was showing some of the new arrivals around the Refuge when she felt a sharp, sudden jolt of pain from John. It surprised and confused her. She hadn't sensed anything from him since it appeared like he was breaking out.

"I'm sorry. Something has come up, so that will be the end of our tour today," Cara told the group. "Just make yourselves at home and if you have any questions ... see Russell."

~ "Stephen, where are you?" ~ Cara frantically called to Stephen.

~ "En route to the Refuge, why?" ~ Stephen replied ~ "What's wrong?" ~

~ "I sensed John again ... something happened, he's in pain." ~

~ "Is he hurt?" ~

~ "No. It's not physical, it's emotional. I need to find him." ~

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In an abandoned warehouse, Natalie, in a celebratory mood, returned to her compatriots.

"It's done," she told them. "Jedikiah will no longer be a threat to us. We can do whatever we want now."

"Not so fast, Natalie. What about John?" questioned Cal, one of the former Lair occupants who went along with Natalie to join Ultra. He had just teleported in and heard the last part of her proclamation.

"What about him?" She turned to Cal. "He's human, he won't be a problem."

"Not from what I saw," he replied. "John teleported in right after you pulled the trigger. He has his powers back somehow."

"You're lying," Natalie said. "I didn't see him."

"Well, you were quite full of yourself when you saw Jedikiah go down," Cal dared to say to her. "John was quite upset. I teleported out when I heard the police coming."

"Then we will just take care of him, too," Natalie stated confidently. "Wasn't there an apartment on our list? It was supposed to be where Jedikiah lived. We'll just go check it out."

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"Sir ... sir," the officer said to John, shaking his arm slightly trying to snap him out of the trance he seemed to be in. "Can you tell me what happened here?"

"I'm not sure," John said. "I heard the gunshot as soon as I tel ..." John paused, just catching himself, "... arrived. The next thing I remember is Jedikiah falling to the ground and all the blood." He looked down at his hands, which were covered in blood. He began rubbing at the blood to try and get it off, but it wasn't working.

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Once Stephen arrived at the Refuge, he found Cara in what used to be Jedikiah's office. She was standing by the window staring out at the city.

"So, you sensed John again?" Stephen approached her slowly. "Why? How?"

"I don't know," Cara replied softly, lost in thought. "Apparently it's only when something powerful happens ... first him breaking out and now ... it must have been something traumatic."

"What did you feel?" Stephen wasn't sure he wanted to know the answer.

Finally turning around, Cara moved over and leaned against the desk.

"Shock, pain, confusion ... despair." Cara said. "And loneliness. The last thing I felt from him was ... loss."

She looked at Stephen. "I need to find him."

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Once the police finished questioning John, he went back to the apartment. As soon as he walked through the door, he heard a gunshot. This time, though, he reflexively put up his hand in a defensive action and closed his eyes. After a good minute, he opened his eyes to see why nothing was happening. What he saw was the bullet seemingly frozen in midair. He could see the trajectory. It was a direct shot to his chest.

Losing the safety of home, he teleported out. He didn't want to be there any ways.

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As Stephen and Cara discussed how to find John, Russell came running into the office.

"Hey, guys," Russell said. "Did you hear the news?"

Cara and Stephen gave each other a look then said simultaneously, "What news?"

"Jedikiah is dead. There was just a report on the news about it." Russell stated. "Apparently he was shot."

"When did it happen?" Cara asked urgently. She had a feeling she knew the answer.

"Earlier today, around 10 this morning, why?"

The timing was right. Now Cara just needed to find John and find out what happened.

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As John wandered for awhile, he found himself in front of a noodle shop. He didn't recognize it, but had a feeling that it was a safe place, so he went in.

The place was dimly lit. He welcomed the darkness. It matched his mood. As he glanced around, looking at the tables, booths then finally the counter, an image flashed in his mind. It was quick. He saw Jedikiah walk past and sit across from him at the end of the counter.

It was confusing. He would have sworn he never had been here, but yet there was this vivid flash of a memory. Deja vu? No, it couldn't be. Jedikiah wouldn't even come near a place like this.

John walked over to an empty table in the far corner. It was away from the door and he sat with his back to the wall. He wanted to make sure he could see anyone coming.

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Cara entered the noodle shop. She had just about given up finding John when she spotted him in the far corner.

"John!" Cara said as she ran over to him. When he looked up, she was met with confusion and fear as he jumped back from the table and her.

"What?" He responded, raising his hand to stop her. "Who are you? What do you want?"

"It's me, Cara."

"Look ... Cara, is it? I don't know you," John said as his hand drifted toward his gun. "How do you know my name? And, one more thing, what do you want?"

"So that's why he didn't come back to us," Cara said quietly as she realized what this meant.

"What was that?" John replied.

"Nothing," she said quickly. "I want to help you. We are connected. I know something happened to you recently, something that hurt you deeply. I felt it."

When John didn't respond and avoided looking at her, she continued. "I heard about Jedikiah."

He looked at her. The pain she saw in his eyes and felt from him threatened to overwhelm her, so she looked away.

"Just leave me alone," John yelled then ran out of the noodle shop.

Cara chased after him. She couldn't let him be alone with all that grief and didn't want to lose him again.

John had a bit of a head start and Cara almost lost him. She caught up to him when he had run down an alley and came to an abrupt stop. She thought he was going to teleport, but he stood there and put up his hands. When Cara moved past the dumpster, she saw Natalie at the other side with a gun aimed right at John.

"No!" Cara yelled. She telekinetically pushed Natalie into the wall, knocking her out. Cara then ran to John, grabbed him and teleported both of them out of there.