CHAPTER TWO


Bailey Pickett smiled as she closed the Book of Esme, resting her hand atop the leather for a few seconds before dragging her fingers away. The leather slid like butter against her fingertips, releasing a nature-like scent, reminiscent of the woods after the rain. After a seconds it mixed with the smell of farm life.

Despite not being in Kettlecorn anymore, everything about it continued to follow her around, letting her know her home was always going to be her home no matter where she went and what happened. Not that the Tipton hotel hadn't become a really good home, but it got lonely at times. She understood how Zack and Cody were consistently trying to make their own sense of fun while they were there. An upscale hotel wasn't the best place to live by yourself, let alone with your family.

A light smile came to Bailey's face as she walked over to the couch and gently ran her fingers over her son's hair. His eyebrows came together under her touch before he relaxed and moved closer to her fingertips. Then Bailey smiled wider. She hadn't expected this life for the two of them but she wouldn't trade him for anything. Kneeling down, Bailey gently shook his shoulder. "Finn, sweetie, we have to go."

Finn's eyes fluttered open and he turned to look at her. Then he reached up with a slim hand and rubbed at his eye. "I'm tired, mama," he whispered.

"You've been sleeping for a while now, come on." Bailey grabbed Finn's arm and gently pulled him up into her arms. He immediately latched around her neck and rested his cheek on her shoulder. Bailey laughed, holding him up as she gathered her things together to leave the room. For a seven year old he was already starting to act like a teenager; he hated to have his sleep interrupted and would whine and complain whenever it was.

And considering how heavy he was, this was definitely going to be the last time she would pick him up.

Bailey left her hotel suite and went down to the lobby, greeting Esteban and Mr. Moseby as she went. They smiled and waved back at her before turning back to the guests that were checking in, of which were staring at her in wonder and awe. Bailey blushed as she walked a little faster, not wanting to be stopped. It would be a mob scene if she was stopped and asked questions about their last fight, about the EAC, thanking her for her service, saying she was a hero.

She wasn't a hero, none of them were heroes. They were given abilities that had consequences of those that wanted to make sure their powers were taken away, to make sure that things continued to be 'normal'. Bailey used to know what it was like to be 'normal', before having set foot on the SS Tipton and learning that Zack and Cody weren't 'normal'.

But what was normal anyway?

Apparently not having powers that could help or hurt a city to the point that the government had followed them around not to mention the different beings that had followed them as long as they could remember. Being thrust into that world had been a major culture shock for her and she was still doing her best to become de-sensitized to it. Finn, on the other hand, thought it was the coolest thing and asked question after question for the adventures they had gone through within the last nine years.

Not only that but she had caught him reading the Book of Esme time and time again. She wasn't sure he could actually read it, but he was definitely interested in it. I wonder if it was a good idea to leave it behind, Bailey thought as she continued walking down the congested sidewalks. It wasn't like she hadn't put a protective spell over it before leaving, so that no one would be able to touch it.

It must've been that healthy sense of fear and paranoia that had been instilled in her.

Finally, Bailey reached the convention center and went inside, following the arrows that were set up around the lobby. She smiled at every well-dressed man and woman that smiled and nodded to her. They were military men and women, those that worked in the government, detectives, and plain-clothes police officers. Just as long as there were enough people around to make sure there wasn't going to be any incidents.

Not that she and her friends couldn't handle it.

"Finny, you have to get down now," Bailey said, lowering him to the ground. He pouted, crossing his arms over his chest. Bailey ran her fingers through his dirty blond hair once more. "Hey, I see some of your friends." She pointed towards the four kids that were running around the large room; one crawling on her hands and knees, one toddling after her, and then two older kids running at full tilt.

Finn smiled and immediately raced over to join the kids before Bailey turned to find their parents. It didn't take too long for her to find Reihu ad Rhuben sitting at a table with food already in front of them. Or what was left of it; a large pile of plates sat in front of Reihu while Rhuben continued to finish her smaller plate.

With a smile, Bailey hurried over and threw herself down into the seat next to Rhuben. She grinned, "So something told me that I would get the news that you're pregnant again," she teased.

Rhuben rolled her blue eyes before turning to Reihu, who pointedly looked away. "If he had his way, probably. But I'm done, yeah? Besides, Crys may need some help and there's doesn't need to be two hormonal woman around." She then turned back to Bailey and wrapped her arms around her, hugging her tightly. "It's been so long."

"Not so long," Bailey said. She ran a hand through her hair. "I've been working as much as the rest of you have. Mostly taking trips to the Element World. I haven't been that far away."

"Right, just a whole other world away," Rhuben pointed out.

Bailey smiled and nodded. She looked over at the kids as they continued to run around. "Not that it looks like I've been missing anything down here. How do you manage to not go crazy with all of those kids around?"

"The same way we don't get annoyed with anything else," Reihu pointed out with a smile, showing off his sharp canines. "We get by with a little help from our powers."

"Yeah, I think the threat of the boogeyman is starting to get a little sadistic," Rhuben said with a half-smile, her eyes shining with amusement. She held up her hand as it started to glow a light purple. "But it seems to work." She leaned back and looked over towards her kids. "Watch out for Averey!" She called. "Cannon, Reese, get her and Axel."

Bailey laughed. "You must have your hands full."

"Being with my brothers and sister so long makes it easier," Rhuben said. Her eyes shifted and she sat up straight, waving an arm over her head. Bailey twisted around then beamed when she saw Max and Tapeworm walking their way. "Hey!" She got up to give the two a hug. "I didn't think you were going to make it."

"It's not that far of a drive from New York," Tapeworm pointed out. He moved aside for Max to give her a hug then moved onto Rhuben and Reihu. "We got here last night and then came in today. Couldn't miss this."

"Oh yeah, a debriefing is always so fun," Max said with a light roll of her eyes. She gently slapped her husband on the chest. "I'd rather be back in school being lectured to."

"I'm pretty sure when you were in school you were busy trying to keep Core and the rest of WingzCorp form attacking," Bailey said. She pressed a finger to her chin. "At least that's what I remember you telling me."

"Yeah, and things were easier back then," Max pointed out. She chuckled then looked around the room. "Wow, everyone's getting so big!"

Bailey could hear the wistfulness in her voice. It had been really hard when she and Tapeworm found out they couldn't have children as Max was infertile. But Max put on a brave face since the diagnosis and she and Tapeworm had managed to make it out stronger than ever. At the moment they were having a lot of fun visiting numerous countries and volunteering when they weren't back living in New York.

Bailey knew Max and Tapeworm had spoken about adoption but didn't know where they currently were at the moment. Not that it was any of her business, but she did know what went through people's heads when thinking of adoption. She had thought of it when she had gotten pregnant and her relationship with the father had slowly fallen apart. She was only twenty years old with no one to help her and no way of really being able to handle everything on her own.

But once Finn was born and she held him for the first time she knew she couldn't do it; he was hers and she loved him unconditionally. Plus, the more she could keep an eye on him the better, in terms of his abilities. He had been showing bursts of power here and there, very reminiscent to what she could do with the help of Geneva and Gattaca, but still nothing to be inherently worried about.

The only worry she had was if she was going to be called next to help out the EAC. Zack and Cody had just gotten back from their work, so it was going to be some time before they went back, opening up the position for the others to go. She didn't know what she'd do if she had to leave Finn behind. When he was younger it was easier, the passage of time wasn't a problem, but now that he was older and going to school and understanding her job more often it was hard.

"That's what happens when you're away for so long," Rhuben pointed out.

Then the room suddenly became filled with everyone speaking over each other as the others arrived. Patrick, Noah, and Sydney arrived with everyone noting the passage of time especially with Sydney, the youngest of them all, now being twenty years old, and Noah having recently gotten engaged while Patrick was still dating his long term girlfriend. Then Julius and Maddie arrived with their eight year old daughter, Lennox with them.

She was the only one of the kids that had fully exhibited and started to train to use her powers; of stars. Bailey had seen Lennox use her abilities once and had nearly been blinded by the result. It was an accident, but she was learning pretty quickly when and when not to use her powers as well as how to control the luminosity of it as well.

Then Zack, Cody, Riley and Crystal had arrived and everyone started speaking to each other, overtop each other, and with excitement as they went to see how things were going with each other. For some of them, they saw each other every day, for others it had been months since they had been together. All in all, the entire group hadn't been together for a couple of years with different parts of their jobs sending them off in all different directions.

Finally, they got their food form the buffet and sat down with each other. Bailey listened quietly as they all explained what had been going on with their lives. Bailey frowned as she looked over at Zack and Cody; they had gotten back from Afghanistan and she could see they was still something that was haunting them about the trip. They spoke highly of it, saying they had met lots of good people, there wasn't a lot of combat they saw, and they learned a lot. Still, Bailey had a feeling there was something else that wasn't being said.

"So out in Afghanistan there were a few forces that were using their powers to aid the Taliban. And there are others that were trying to fend them off," Cody explained, finally debriefing everyone. Bailey looked over her shoulder to make sure their children weren't paying attention; they were all sitting on the floor of the conference room, looking at cell phones and computers at some kids' show that held their attention. "However, there's something about the Taliban forces that made it so that they were stronger than we could've ever imagined."

"Even with the regular ammunition they had?" Julius asked, eyebrows rising. "Or did they focus more with their powers?"

"For what we went up against they were focusing more with their powers," Cody confirmed. His eyes narrowed for a moment. "Honestly, I thought that was a little strange. By now they'd know who we are and what we can do. Why waste the time?"

Tapeworm frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I think I get it," Zack said, coming to his brother's aid. "There haven't been many people that have come to us, with new weapons that had been created to take on our powers. Why continued to use 'regular' weapons when the technological advances can be made?"

"Well, what did Diamond have to say about it?" Reihu asked.

There was a moment of silence. That was it, Bailey realized. That had to be it. Something had happened with Diamond that they weren't saying or didn't know how to say. Bailey's breath caught in her throat, there were too many scenarios that flashed through her mind; of them running through the desert, being bombed in abandoned buildings, running out into gunfire. And they continued to scroll though her head like a slideshow.

"He's hurt," Cody finally said. "We're not so sure how bad things are, just what we knew when we left."

"What happened?" Maddie asked. She tucked her hair behind her ear, and glanced over at Lennox, smiling gently as her black haired, brown-eyed daughter watched whatever show the little kids were watching, making sure they were sitting still. She certainly took her role as the oldest very seriously.

"Ambush," Zack explained. His voice turned flat. "And he ran out to make sure that we were protected, because we were trying to figure out some sort of a peace treaty thing with diplomats and others there. But some people didn't want us around and they attacked. I don't know if it was a bomb blast or anything like that, but the next thing we knew, Diamond was on the ground and…" he trailed off, looking away.

It had to be really bad, Bailey noted, if even Zack couldn't explain. Zack; the boy who had been so into comic books and adventures when he first started out as an elemental and now took it as seriously as life itself. There were so many horrors all of them had seen, but having to see one of their own fall must've been bad.

"Do you know the extent of the damage?" Max pressed.

"Broken leg, broken pelvis," Cody explained with doctor-like precision. "Lacerations, internal bleeding. That's the last we heard, right before we had to leave. The government officials that were with us said they'd let us know if anything changed. We don't know anything other than that."

Bailey nodded. Then she froze. A peculiar feeling washed over her, like nothing she had ever felt before. No, that was a lie. She had felt it before; when she was at Yale and trying to live a normal life, after having experienced the elemental world firsthand. She had been speaking to Geneva and Gattaca about the Book of Esme for the first time and she had been interrupted by her schoolmates' screams. Racing out of her dorm room, she found one of her classmates possessed by something.

It wasn't until later they found out it was by someone in particular. Urial. It was his first time showing himself to the group and he had sent out his Shadow Hunters to face her as well. But Uriel was gone, wasn't he?

I feel their energies, Geneva said. Her voice as calm as ever but there was a hint of concern to her tone. There's something that's troubling them, something that is causing them great strife. I can feel the energy.

Bailey waited for Gattaca to say something to his sister but he was quiet. When that happened it was because he knew there was truth to what Geneva was saying. If that was the case, things weren't as good as they thought they would be. Not just because Diamond had been hurt, not just because of the news of what was going on in Afghanistan, but because of something bigger than that.

So Bailey waited for the right time to bring it up. Once Zack and Cody were completely debriefed the topic changed to what they were going to do now that they were moving back into normal life and how everyone's jobs were going. But Bailey couldn't ignore the feeling, like a cold hand slowly gliding up her back, making her skin crawl and goosebumps erupt.

She tried to shake it off the best she could, knowing there were still representatives from the White House that were going to speak to them, but she couldn't wait too long. There was definitely something wrong and she needed to know what it was. As such when she had the time, she asked Zack and Cody to step aside so that they could talk.

"Mom?" Finn asked, looking away from his piece of cake. Emma and Jayden looked over as well, though continued to push pieces of cake into their mouths.

"It's okay; I'll be back in a minute. I just want to talk to Zack and Cody for a minute." The three walked away and Bailey immediately crossed her arms over her chest when they were alone. "I'd think that the time we've known each other and I've known what you guys could do that I've been helpful. So I'd think that you would be able to do the same for me."

Zack's face screwed up. "Huh?"

Even Cody looked a little confused. That was a little strange for Bailey; Cody was the one who typically was able to pick up on people's feelings and ideas before they had even figured it out themselves. "I mean, you can stop acting like the rest of us are dumb. I know something's going, I…I can feel it." She cleared her throat. "I mean, I've had this long to get to know my abilities. I think I know when they're trying to tell me something. Even Geneva said she's sensing something."

Now Zack and Cody exchanged a glance and Zack finally sighed, running his hands through his hair.

"Okay," Zack said, lowering his voice. He looked over Bailey's shoulder. "We're going to tell the others but we wanted to be sure it was something you might be able to help us with first," he said.

Bailey shrugged and nodded.

Cody took a breath, licking his lips. He nervously chewed his bottom lip and check to be sure no one was listening. He nodded over to Zack. "He said he had a nightmare last night, one that he hasn't had in years."

Bailey's eyes narrowed for a moment as she looked back and forth between the twins. Sometimes they had a way of being really vague with things. Mostly as they didn't want to say anything until they were absolutely sure of things; the responsibility of being the strongest elementals of their time had to be very hard. Unfortunately they used it as a way to make sure the decisions they mad was only for them to decide, rather than the others.

"And the only time Zack's ever had that dream before…was when Uriel was still around."


A/N: And we'll be back with Nathan, Christian, Reed, Renee, and Kristen with the next chapter. I hope you like the chapter.

-Riles