Hay Elf here, I forgot to mention it before but I have progressive dyslexia and disgraphia, so if there is something miss spelled sorry. I am trying, have my sister reading before posting, and spell check is used but sometimes things happen. I'm trying and if any one knows cool tricks to remember how to spell things that'd be super cool. (I got Assassin, therapist, and assume that way.) Now here's chapter two!

Warren breathed in the pure oxygen slowly, watching nurse Spandex watching him.

"You can't hide it from me forever, you know." She waved lollypop at him. "I know you can do more that light a few candles."

Warren closed his eyes as the once pounding headache slowly faded away. Speed had sucked the air out of his lungs and then he'd gotten thrown through the air by guess who. They'd won, but Warren would have rather been able to breath, so had stalked off to the nurse as soon as he was sure he could stand, leaving Stronghold to bask in what ever attention the room through at him.

"Are you listening to me?" Nurse Spandex tapped him on the head with the lollypop. "We still need to update your file Mr. Peace, what other abilities have developed?"

Warren shook his head. "None, this," he light one hand, "is all I can do." Or at lest all you and the rest of the heroes will ever know about. In all honesty Warren wasn't just a pyro, he was a Foenix. Not Phoenix, Foenix. A person with all the powers and connections of an element such as: water, earth, ice, light…fire was a Foenix. Extremely powerful they were only found in two families, the Battle family and the Peace family. Lucky him, Warren had a parent from each.

He took another deep breath of the oxygen. He knew Nurse Spandex didn't believe him, for as bubble headed as she could act, she was still sharp minded. "I need to catch the bus." He handed the mask he'd been using back to her, and left before she could ask anything else.

O.O

Jason peaked around the corner at the girl in the living room. Warren liked her, but he just…didn't know… He'd seen Warren kissing the brown hired white bangs girl. He knew Warren loved her…he just didn't know.

"Hay Jay." She waved, laughing as Jason ducked back. "You can't hide every time I'm over."

Jason didn't see why not. He peaked around the corner again, tripping over himself as he stumbled back in shock at the girl being right in front of him.

"Sorry," She laughed as he landed on his rear-end. "Here let me help you." She offered a hand to help him up. Jason shook his head scooting further away. "Jay, I'm not going to hurt you."

"Jay?" Warren stood in the doorway, Natalie and Alyssa behind him. "Eve?"

"Warren!" Jason was pretty sure his relief was blindingly obvious but he didn't care as Warren crossed the space between them and knelt down.

"What happened?"

"…I…I just…" Jason fumbled.

"I spooked him." Eve admitted with a bit of a grin. "Sorry Jay."

Jason didn't look at her as Warren helped him up. "…"

As soon as he could he was up the stairs to his room. Jason stopped pausing right in front of his door.

"He always hides from me," Eve sighed. "Dose he even trust me?"

"At a distance." Warren answered, their footsteps moving into the down the hall.

"Don't laugh!"

"I wasn't," Warren sighed. "Just give him time, he'll warm up to you eventually."

"He won't even talk to me."

Jason sat down slowly as the silence grew longer. Warren had defended him every time before this…Warren was honestly the only thing that made him feel safe to get out of bed. His younger twin was now the older brother, understanding his lack of words and fears just as easily as he understood a flower needs water. Protecting him, letting him feel safe. "Hell and back Jay. Nothing like that is ever going to happen to you again. I promise, even if it takes me to Hell and back." Jason had seen the scares his brother bore. Hell already had happened.

"…He hid from me too." Warren finally spoke. "You were there when we found him. You saw…he hid from every one when he could move. Would even flinch away from Dad…guess he thought we were going to hurt him." Warren sighed.

"You?"

"When I got out of my hell…I…I would only trust Dad, but I was always so scared that I'd mess up and he'd get taken away for good. That he wouldn't want me." Warren paused. "Just give him time. I better go talk to him."

"I'll start dinner."

"Thanks Key."

Jason pressed closer to the door as Warren walked up the stairs and down the hall.

"Heard all that?" Warren stopped surprised at seeing his twin out of his room. Jason nodded. "Are you okay?"

"S-she was there?"

Warren sat down next to him. "Yeah, she covered my back as I was flying you out…scariest night of my life."

"I don't remember." Jason whispered.

"You were pretty out of it for a few weeks." Warren shrugged "wouldn't expect you to remember much."

Jason thought back. Pain. He remembered the pain…and sounds, much softer than what he'd heard for years. That was it. "When did I wake up?"

"Open your eyes or respond?" Warren bit his lip thinking. "You first opened your eyes maybe about a month and a half after we got you out…but you weren't all there yet."

"All there?" Jason repeated softly.

"You…well we thought you might have gone brain dead. Then maybe about a week later you started making noises, like a hurt dog. Few weeks after that you still made noises but more like you were trying to talk to us. It was slow Jay but it got us here."

"When'd I get here?" Jason frowned. Barron was only allowed out when his kids, and now grandkids, needed him life or death. Jason and Warren both had been privileged in getting their father back for a few months after they got out of their separate hells. But then he went back to Maxville jail. He thought he remembered seeing his Dad by his bed in his room before he really started moving.

"Once you were stable we moved you home."

"From?"

"The jail. I didn't know where else to go." Warren laughed at him self. "Makes since I guess. Dad was there and it was where I was treated after…that damn house."

Jason felt the sudden ripple of fear from his brother at the mention of 'The House'. In a moment it was gone but it had defiantly been there. "Where you out of it?"

"I wish…" Warren sighed, "I was all to aware of what happened to me, what was happening, at lest till they put me to sleep." Jason blinked. "I…they had to do three operations to fix me. It took forever before I started flying again."

"You're wings?"

"Right here and much better." Warren slipped his shirt off and let his wings come out in a streak of flame, stretching the scarlet wonders as he stood, before neatly folding them against his back. "Jay, are you going to eat with us tonight?"

"I-I don't know…sorry."

"It's alright," Warren patted his shoulder. "Take your time. Well I better get down there before Key burns the house down trying to make pop-tarts."

"I heard that!" Eve called.

"It's true," Warren grinned at his brother.

"Wren!"

"Dad, she's turning the oven on!"

O.O

Warren looked around; there was one customer left, who according to Tin her waitress had just been stood up. "See if she needs a to go box." Tin whispered. "…Or some tissues."

Warren rolled his eyes walking over. "You still working on that?" Oh, it's you…

"Hay." Layla looked up surprised.

"Hay,"

"We go to school together."

Warren nodded, "You're Strongholds friend."

"Yeah," Layla sighed, apparently she wasn't too fond of Stronghold either at the time.

"Do you want me to heat that up for you?" Warren offered.

Layla looked around and lowered her voice, "We're not supposed to use out powers out side of school."

Warren leaned forward, whispering in equal seriousness, "I was just going to stick it in the microwave."

That got her to laugh. "I was supposed to be meeting Will here, but…do you want to sit down?"

Warren looked back; he didn't look needed. "I think I can spare a moment." He sat down, and light the candle. She looks almost like Mom… The candle wasn't supposed to be romantic, it was something for him to look at. The girl across from him looked to much like his mom for him to brush her off, but she was too close to a Stronghold for him to take his mask all the way off. He couldn't get to close.

Over the next hour Warren learned more than he ever wanted to know about her and Stronghold. How they learned how to ride bikes. How he'd always stay over at her house when Josie took her 'Mom days off'. Warren knew where Josie had really gone on Mom days, but he wasn't talking. Not since backstabbing both the only hero he'd ever trust with in arms reach and himself at the same time. And how they became best of friends over lima beans.

"…and we've been best friends ever since."

"And falling for him, was that before or after the lima bean?" Warren looked at the drastically shorter candle. So Will wasn't so much stuck up, as he was a dork. Maybe he even took a little after his mom. Warren still didn't trust him.

"What! I am not in love with...is it that obvious?" Layla bit her lip.

"Yeah,"

"Great,"

"So why don't you tell him?" He wasn't for Stronghold, but Warren wasn't pitted against Layla. If she wanted that dork, let her have him.

"Well I was going to ask him to Homecoming, but there's two problems. He already likes this other girl and she's gorgeous." Apparently she didn't like Gwen either.

And you're not? "You know what I think. To let true love remain unspoken is the quickest way to a heavy heart."

"Wow, that is really deep."

Okay, you're getting to close for comfort. "Yeah. And you're Lucky numbers are: 4, 16, 5, and 49."

She laughed. At that moment Tin's mother yelled at him from inside the kitchen to quit flirting, and finish cleaning.

"See you around Hippie." Warren stood, yelling back a defense. She was cute, smart, and not a bad person, but he was dating Eve, and Warren did not cheat. He didn't even really want to get close to her. The less she knew about him, the less chance she might get hurt.

Warren finally was walking out to his truck when Layla tapped him on the shoulder. "Can I barrow you're phone? Mine just died and I need to get a ride or walk home."

"Are you're parent's active?"

"Yeah, but I can call my Nana, she's only twenty minuets away." Layla kicked at a lose piece of pavement.

Warren sighed, "Get in I'll take you home."

"Really, you don't mind?" Layla blinked in surprise.

"I've seen what comes out at night, you're not going to wait twenty minutes. Get in." Warren opened the passenger side door.

"Thanks," Layla climbed in and fastened her seatbelt. "Why are there Selena Gomez CDs in here?" she raised an eyebrow. Warren didn't answer, as he pulled out of the parking lot.

"You live in the Meadows?"

"Yeah," Layla nodded. "People are wrong about you, you know. You're not some burn-them-all-bad-boy."

"Thanks," Warren answered softly.

"So why act like it?"

"What is life but one big masquerade?" Warren muttered.

"It's a mask? Why not take it off?" Layla frowned.

"You wouldn't know me if I did." Warren turned off in to the neighborhoods, "And I don't know you enough to take it off."

"Well then, since you now heard all about my childhood, tell me three things about you. That way we can become better acquainted."

"Hippie," Warren warned.

"Come on, just three. I swear I will never tell any one else. Not even Will."

Warren sighed, it'd be good to trust someone new, but he didn't want to get hurt. Or for her to get hurt. She looked so much like his Mom, but he couldn't take the mask off, at least not all the way. "Just three things?"

"Just three."

"My dad is innocent. Those CDs aren't mine."

"That's two," Layla nodded, "Come on you can trust me."

Warren ran a hand through his hair. "Josie never took days off, she was taking care of me."

"Your parents didn't?" Layla gasped.

"Ah no. Dad is in jail and Mom…is dead." He never once looked at her.

"Foster parents?" Layla prompted, surprised as every mussel in Warren's body tensed, like he expected to be hit. "Are you okay?"

"Fine,"

"Warren I didn't mean any thing bad…I just…what's wrong?"

"Hippie," Warren shook his head, "that would be four things about me. Where do I turn?"

"On Preston, my house is the third on the left. Are you sure you're okay?" Layla sat back in the set as Warren nodded. Nothing else was said the remainder of the trip. "Thanks again, see you at school." Layla smiled at him as she slid out of the truck once Warren had parked in front of her house.

"See you around, Hippie." Warren nodded, waiting till she got inside then drove home.

O.O

Natalie was asleep, nothing but blond curls were visible from the doorway. Alyssa's feet where up on the pillow, black haired head poking out from under the covers at the bottom of the bed. Warren kissed them both on the head before going back down stairs.

"I still say you should have asked her to go to the dance with you." Eve looked up as he walked in to the living room.

"I thought I was dating you." Warren sat down on the couch next to her, one of his cats leapt up into his lap.

"You are," Eve nodded, "but she just got stood up and if a girl doesn't get hooked in to these dances, she may never go to another one. And her self-confidence probably took a blow, stood up be the best friend and secret crush. Ouch."

"So you want me to take her?" Warren raised an eyebrow at her.

"You do know people can go as friends to these things too." Eve countered, "If she asks you don't turn her down."

"Why in the world would she ask me?" Warren shook his head.

"Because you where there for her." Eve smirked, "Just take her as friends if she asks."

"It's not going to happen, she has a crush on Stronghold, I'm the complete opposite." Warren sighed.

"Wren, you're secretly an angel, even got the wings to prove it." Eve winked.

"Jay talk to you when I was at work?" Warren changed the subject.

"No, but he did stay in the same room."

"Told you, just give him time."

O.O

"Hay Warren!"

Warren looked up. What? "Did I do or say anything last night that made this okay?"

"Wow, that's a really funny story. You're really never going to believe it! I was just about to ask Will to Homecoming when, wouldn't you know it, I told him I was going with you instead!" Layla rambled.

What! "I don't remember that being the plan."

"Hay Layla, did you do you history homework?" the purple Goth girl slid in next to Layla.

"What are you doing?" Warren

"It's called sitting." She brushed him off.

"Nobody sits here but me." Warren growled. Purple girl gave him a 'whatever' look and went back to talking with Layla.

"We're eating at Warren's table now, I feel extremely dangerous'."

"Is this guy bothering you Magenta?"

The popsicle and glow stick sat down on either side of him.

"Try the other way around." Warren felt his chest tighten even as his hands clenched into fists. He hated small spaces. "Does any one else need a date for Homecoming?"

Layla burst out laughing, "Warren you are Cra-azy!"

Are you? Warren frowned at her, before noticing Stronghold watching them.

"Please I'll make this as painless as possible." Layla begged once Stronghold was out of earshot.

"So you're not doing this because you like me or anything, you're doing this to get to Stronghold." Warren nodded off Strongholds direction.

"Yeah," Layla nodded slowly.

"Then I'm in." Warren smiled. "But," he added in a strait face, "I'm not renting a tux." Did Key do something?

O.O

The next day Layla ran up and grabbed his hand, startling him out of his book. "Hay there cutie! I was just thinking about you. I can not wait for Homecoming…."

Warren waited till Stronghold was gone before lighting his hand.

"Ouch!"

"Never call me cutie." Not even Key doe that. Warren stood walking away. And if Key doesn't she won't.

"Hay Warren, what's up?" the three sidekicks waved.

Warren scowled storming away. How is it that Stronghold screws up and I'm the new best friend?

O.O

Alyssa was covered in flour. "Is this really how you learned fractions?"

"This is really how I learned fractions." Warren nodded. "Now half a cup of sugar,"

"With just the ¼ one again?" Natalie picked up the only measuring cup Warren had been letting them use.

"Just with the ¼ cup." Warren nodded. "Put it in with the dry ingredients."

"What is it?" Jason whispered peering timidly at the bowls on the counter.

"Fraction pie." Alyssa grinned.

"T-the one Mom and Dad would help us make?" Jason stepped closer, but not too close, as Warren nodded.

"We should have it done before I have to go to work." Warren smiled watching as Jason slowly stepped forward again.

"Why are you always working?" Alyssa sighed. "It's not fair."

"I know," Warren shrugged, "When life becomes free I'll quit my jobs." Warren worked at the Paper Lantern, but he also sang. It had started as a small gig for a few extra dollars, and it was becoming something bigger. 'Jaded' was becoming one of the best bands in the business. No one would believe it was really just one high school student and sometimes his brother. He also was working on what his father and mother left behind.

Bringing down the Corrupted.

Barron and Joy Battle where spies, with the cover job of heroes that had cover jobs as music stars. Since birth, like every other Peace or Battle child ever born, Warren had been raised to be a part of the next generation of spies. The 'Godfather' of the family business, Omega, said Warren was one of the best…but Warren wasn't sure that was really a good thing, and had pulled a few strings to get the early part of the year off call. He still would run a few patrols around Maxville, which happened to be one of the Corrupted capitals, as 'Phoenix' at night, but he was not at Omega's beck and call at the moment.

He also worked differently than Barron had. He never when undercover as a villain, but because Phoenix wasn't a registered hero, he was a vigilante, and he preferred it that way. Better to work with 'The Rogues' to bring down the Corrupted. Barron understood. He had even helped train some of the Rogues into better fighters, making the team of four a force to be reckoned with.

"Dad, Alyssa's playing in the sugar again!"

Warren looked over at the sugar; a small tornado suddenly fell apart, the top flying back onto the container.

"Hay I didn't tattle on you when––"

"She's lying!"

Warren smiled softly, "Give it a rest, and mix the dry and wet." He sometimes wondered if raising twin Foenix was any thing like raising two mind-powered girls. Natalie had control over any crystal or glass object, Alyssa could move any thing without even looking.

"Do you want to help Jay?" Alyssa offered, and Jason suddenly aware of how close he was, shook his head backing away.

"Come on it's fun." Natalie promised.

"N-no thank you." Jason stammered, nearly tripping over a cat. "Sorry." He whispered to the offended kitty.

"Oh come on," The girls ran and pulled him back up to the counter handing him a wooden spoon. Jason looked back at Warren who nodded trying not to laugh as the two messy girls showing his timid brother the 'proper mixing style'.

He leaned back watching as Jason forgot his fears and his daughters somehow got messier as the crust was filled covered and baked.

"Told you we don't bite." Alyssa grinned at Jason.

Jason blushed, the faintest smile gracing his lips.

O.O

"There's another person who got stood up." Tin pointed at a brown haired boy. "Go see if he needs more water."

"Why is it," Warren looked at Tin, "That I always deal with the brake ups?"

"Because you handle it better than I do." Tin answered. "Now go."