Weeks passed and soon months. Tora went to visit her friends in France for about a week. Warren forgave Layla for finding out what she did; he then filled in the fest. How it was an actual connection with their powers. One day Warren sat with Layla to watch a movie when they flicked on the TV and saw a familiar face. The reporter declared.

"Baron Battle – the one who destroyed Maren 10 years – has been acquitted his crimes after the Commander found he was under mind control." Warren stiffened; he shifted and pushed Layla off him. He moved and leaned closer to the TV. Sure enough there was a man, clean up, shaved face. Gentler in features and his eyes were exhausted. This was Baron Battle. For some reason he didn't look a think like Layla thought he would. She put a hand on his arm and felt boiling flesh. She pulled away as quickly as she put her hand on is skin for fear of being burned if he should ignite. Sure enough flames licked up his wrists and up his biceps. The fire was under control quick enough. Layla crawled back over and put her hand on his back.

"It'll be ok Warren" She spoke in calming tones; he nodded but didn't register what she said. A knocking on the door drew her attention; Warren remained staring at the TV. She stood to answer to door. When she opened the door the man was strangely familiar. He seemed surprised at who answered the door.

"Hello" His voice was clean cut. He wore slacks and a button down shirt.

"Hi" She replied without her normal peppiness.

"I'm Baron may I ask who you are?" He waited for an answer, why was some random redhead answering the door? She backed away from the door a bit and started shouting.

"Warren! Warren, come here!"

"What's wrong Lay…?" He didn't get to finish his sentence. He grabbed Layla's arm and drew her behind him. His fists were aflame before Baron could even realize what happened.

"Son, I am not here to fight you" Baron tried to calm down the fury that controlled his son.

"Then why are you here?" Warren bit out his wrists never extinguished.

"I understand you're angry at me for what happened…" Baron begun, Warren clenched his teeth together.

"You have no idea…" He growled at his father. Baron sighed in response and chose to change the topic.

"Who's the girl?" He pointed at Layla who was still behind Warren.

"What's it to…" Warren didn't get to finish, Layla put her hand on his arm and moved out from behind him.

"I'm Layla Rose – Warren and I are good friends." She said to him. She saw a sense of relief and had a suspicion she knew why.

"Are you by chance related to Gabrielle Christen?" Baron asked he was referring to her mother of course.

"Yah, she's my mom" Layla replied.

"Ah, I knew her in high school…anyway Layla it's nice to meet you." He seemed to be really nice and quite polite.

"Nice to meet you too" While she spoke his eyes grew hard and his mouth set in a line as Warren put his hand on her lower back.

"Warren will your mother be home any time soon?" Baron asked carefully, he knew this was going to be harsh.

"No." He snapped in reply, he knew he was being immature but he didn't really care.

"May I come in?" Baron asked his son.

"Only if you stay where I can see you" The teen snapped back.

"You know what Warren, I still have to finish that Botany assignment, I think I'm going to head home." Layla gave him a large smile. Warren turned to her and looked worried.

"I can walk you home when my mom gets home…" Warren trailed off.

"Nah, don't worry about me, I'll be fine." Baron eyed them carefully as Layla spoke. Something about the way he watched made Layla think he knew about the connection, as if he could see it. Layla stepped out the still open door and gave Warren a small wave before walking towards the dark street. Warren moved to follow his father into the living room. But something seemed a bit off, he felt wrong for letting Layla walk home in the dark. His father tried to make small talk but Warren kept cutting him off, he kept glancing towards the door.

"What's wrong Warren?" The man finally asked. Warren turned to him and said nothing.

"Warren…" Baron threatened. "Is it about the girl?"

"No…" Warren attempted to lie.

"You have a feeling she's going to get hurt." Baron asked firmly. Something about his voice was no urgent.

"Yes." Warren finally replied.

"Then we're going to go find her. Now." Baron ushered his son towards the door. "Lead me to where her house would be, act as if you're taking me to her house." Warren moved quickly with a trust he felt was wrongly placed. The almost ran the entire way and sure enough Warren's sense of danger was correct. Layla was surrounded into an alley by a group of super powered fools. There was maybe five or six of them something inside Warren snapped but he was thrown to the ground before he could attack. He was surprised in which the speed his father attacked. Why would he care what happened to Layla? The men were quickly frightened away and Warren was standing by the time the last one disappeared.

"Layla! Layla are you ok?" He asked running over to her, scanning her for any damage.

"I'm…fine…" She whispered, clinging to his chest crying. Warren turned to his father and almost seemed to erupt.

"Why the hell did you throw me to the ground?" Rage boiled inside him, his skin was warming but he forced it to stay cool – er as long as Layla was crying against him.

"You were going to lose control Warren. You don't seem to get it. I came here to help you, I know you don't want to see me again and neither does your mother but it doesn't matter. You need help. You would have killed those men." Baron roared at his son.

"They deserved it!" Warren yelled back.

"No son, they didn't. They deserve jail time. They deserve a few nasty burns but death? Warren – no one deserves death. And the moment you start thinking that way then you are no better then the rest of the Battle line. No better then I." Baron seemed to calm down by the end of his speech. Warren couldn't respond.

"Son. You don't really know how to control the flames you produce. Yay, you can throw them at people and light up your arms, that's nothing compared to what you can do." Baron sighed and stared off into the stars. Layla had stopped crying but Warren, who had wrapped his arms around her shoulders, wouldn't let go of her. She let her thin arms encircle his waist.

"Then what can I do?" Warren waited for an answer.

"Can you even control the temperature of your skin?" Baron asked, noticing how Layla was seemingly withdrawing from his arms.

"…" Was the reply he got.

"First, let go of the girl before you burn her." Warren was snapped out of his revere and let go of Layla, she rubbed her arms a bit but didn't seem to worry much.

"Sorry…" Warren replied gruffly, embarrassed at what just occurred.

"S'ok…" She replied.

"Second, tell me how to get to the house and then walk your girl home." Baron kept to the list format. Warren explained the series of turns that would lead him to the house. He then gestured to Layla for her to follow him. Sure enough she followed him to her house. They were silent the entire way, Warren wasn't in the mood for small talk and Layla didn't care to force it tonight. When they got to her house she grabbed his hand before he had time to leave.

"Warren…please, listen to what your father has to say…I know you're angry at him but he's here to help…please? And…my windows open…" She was referring to his habit of appearing at her house when he simply couldn't be at his house anymore. When his mom came home drunk, when he was home alone, when his dad called from prison, when a family member came to visit. She left her window open once when her mom wasn't home and he showed up…

Flashback

Someone was tapping on her window. She groaned and rolled over, she wasn't letting Will in her room tonight, she was too tired to want to deal with him. The tapping didn't cease though and she finally snapped at him.

"Go Away Will, I don't wanna talk to you right now…" She snapped at him and rolled over again. The tapping didn't cease.

"What!" She finally snapped and yanked the window open. Her and Will were still going out and Warren and her weren't very good friends yet. But she was surprised when it was Warren who crawled through.

"Warren? What are you…?" She asked, trying to readjust her green-wife beater pj top.

"Sorry Layla…I…couldn't be at home anymore…" He moved to sit on her bed.

"What do you mean?" She asked, now shifting her pants. They were plaid, green and black.

"My mom…she's drunk and I…" He almost growled. "I came here 'cause I remembered you said your mom…was out tonight or something…" he seemed to be feel awkward about being there suddenly. She went to put her hand on him and he jerked away, he skin nearly aflame with heat.

"Your mom's drunk?" She asked carefully, he nodded in response.

"Normally I just go wander the park or something but…" He dragged off. She gave him a smile.

"I don't really mind, you just caught me off guard. Normally it's Will who sits and taps on my window, I didn't feel like talking to him right now…" Warren glanced down at her but didn't actually say anything.

"Sooo…" She asked after a few minutes. "Wanna play Halo?" She asked, giving him a big smile.

"Halo? I thought you were anti violence" He asked playfully. She smiled.

"Says who?" She smiled at him and dragged him towards the living room. "My cousins brought it over when they visited last summer." Sure enough they played Halo until four in the morning when he finally had to sneak out because Ms. Rose came home. It wouldn't go over well if the woman was to find the male in her living room. It became a habit of sorts, for them. He would come over, they would play video games then he would go home.

End Flashback.

"I might…" He replied they stared at each other for a few minutes. The atmosphere twisted slightly. Her hand was still gripping his, and he let his wrap around hers carefully, gently. Their eyes met and they watched each other, waiting for the other to make the first move. Finally Warren leaned forward, his lips seconds away from hers when the door was pulled open; Layla's mom was standing in the doorway. Layla pulled away quickly, her cheeks a dark shade of pink.

"Um, goodnight War…" She spoke quickly and disappeared into the house. Gabrielle stared at Warren, waiting for him to leave. He nodded and muttered a goodbye to the women.

The night passed and Warren didn't show up, he chose to instead wander the park when his father finally fell to sleep. He mulled over what happened with Layla, he brooded over how to handle his father. His mother never did come home and so he spent the time with his father, he hadn't forgiven him yet. At an early time in the morning he decided to go pick up his mother from whatever pub she may be at. He found her wasted to hell dancing crudely with some rough looking man.

"Mom." Warren growled at the disaster that was his mother. "Mom, we're going home" He grabbed her arm and went to drag her from the place. The other man grabbed his.

"Listen boy, if yur Mumma wanna staye here wit us. Then stay here she staye." He growled. "Jus goa home littler boy and let yur mumma hav fun." The man grabbed Claire Peace's ass.

"Get your hand off me. Mom we're leaving. Now." He snapped back, he went to pull the women from the dirty man.

"I said littler boy, let yur mumma hav a bit o' fun." The large man punched Warren in the stomach. Warren clenched his teeth at the slight pain of it; he stood up and moved a bit away.

"Mom, go home." He finally snapped at his mother.

"Did ya not get da point boy?" The man went to punch Warren again. Warren beat him to it. The man doubled over but then stood up.

"That all ya got boy?" The larger man taunted. Claire whimpered slightly and tried to get out of the way. Warren allowed his wrists to light up and the flames to lick up his arms. The larger man moved away quickly.

"It's one of dem freaks, wadda I tell ya Chris, dey gonna kill us" Another man jerked away from the fight referring to the man Warren was fighting.

"He don't scare ma"

"I should" Warren replied calmly.

"Warren, leave him alone" The voice was strong and firm. Familiar. It was Baron.

"Oh, looka it's soom cleaner man." Chris jerked his hand towards the new man who stood behind Warren.

"Who do you think you fucking are?" Warren turned around and yelled at his father.

"I'm still her husband and you're still my son. Now back down. NOW!" Baron shouted at his son. The fury scared Warren into submission. The younger Pyrokinetic moved away from the fight.

"And you. Get your hands off my wife." His voice was strained. Chris laughed.

"So dis purdy thang is your wife? Diddna tell ma you hadda husband" He turned to Claire. Claire had started to cry.

"Yes. And if you ever touch her again…"

"Yur gonna what? Yur gonna hur me ta?" He snapped at Baron. He was surprised when Baron lit his arms on fire, the ground started to catch and the temperature in the room rocketed. Warren could handle the suddenly 100 degree temperature but knew that his mother wouldn't be able to. He grabbed the crying women's arm and dragged her from the room. After getting outside he found it was nearly freezing. He left his mother outside and went back into the scorching dry room.

"Touch my wife again and you will regret it." The temperature dropped back to normal and the fire in the room disappeared. Baron grabbed his son's arm and dragged him from the room. Even Warren was surprised by the heat radiating from his father. He had never gotten to that temperature before, he always ignited before that. Claire was still crying outside and Baron pushed Warren towards the car. He then gently lifted Claire up and set her inside the car. The act surprised Warren. When they finally got home Claire had fallen asleep.

"You still love her…" The revelation surprised Warren. He stared at his father.

"Yes I do, Warren…that girl…"

"Layla"

"Yes her, she's yours to protect…what happened with me and Claire was a mistake. You don't understand how deeply I loved your mother, I went insane Warren." He fell onto the sofa. "You don't understand what if feels like. You will fall in love with Layla. You will feel that pull. You're stronger then I was. Much stronger. Your mother had a line of pyro's and that carries over to you. What I did was a quarter…a fraction of the destruction you could create. And the Battle line will do anything to turn you to them because of that. Warren, I'm not back because I was actually under mind control. Commander faked the evidence so I could train you to control what you have, and to help you understand what you can do. And how you can avoid hurting her, what I did in there is nothing compared to what you can do…" Baron looked at his son pleadingly.

"You weren't given the choice to bear this burden. But you have to. You can't protect Layla until you can control yourself. For you to actually harm that man would have been disastrous. Now imagine if that girl was Layla. You wouldn't have given Layla the chance to get out. That's why I didn't allow you to attack the gang that was harassing her. That's why I keep preventing you from fighting." Baron was trying to explain himself to his son.

"I know I can never be your father, I messed that up but at least allow me to help you control yourself. My father died when I was about ten. I didn't fire up the first time until I was fourteen. Warren I never had anyone to train me and I didn't understand what I could do until that day I blew up Maren. In prison I had been given permission to practice and learn to control myself."

Warren listened closely. This was important.

"Now son I need you to answer me honestly. Has the other Battle members attempted to contact you?" Baron asked with all seriousness.

"Yes." Warren replied. He looked towards a wall to the right of them. It was painted weird, as if it was painted years after the others.

"And you lost control and attacked them" Baron finished the story.

"Yes."

"And you lost."

"Yes. I was…in the hospital for a week recovering…" Warren muttered embarrassedly. He turned to his father and waited for him to say something.

"You're lucky to be alive. They want you bad son. You are one of the few heirs to their contorted line. They, that is if Michael had a child, are down to three who could, by blood only, take the line. You, me and Michael's child, your cousin. They can't choose me because of my prison sentence. You or your cousin. Think about that Warren. They will do anything to have you under they're command. They want you more then you can comprehend." His voice was dark. Clearly this was a harsh topic for all of them.

"Explain the connection to Layla."

"Their's always someone you love. And they become your Trust. How it works is that they bear your power, or at least a portion of it and that connects you because that fire, the same fire burns in both of you. You'll be connected to her soon, as in an entire ceremony to bind you. That's why your mom is a drunk, her soul was torn in half when I erupted, why I'm so controlled, I am a monster." He stared at the ground.

"Look. I have school tomorrow. I have to sleep" Warren chose to spare the man. Baron nodded, Warren moved to go up to his room contemplating the situation.