"Pet therapy?" Warren repeated, wondering how he had been dragged into the conversation. "You think I need pet therapy?"
Layla shook her head blushing. "Not you."
"Then why are you trying your sale pitch on me?" Warren put his book down. The rest of the group was watching them over hamburgers and fries from the lunch line.
"Just incase you knew some one a little…blue." Layla tried playing with her hair.
"Blue?" Will blinked the same time Warren raised an eyebrow. "I thought that it was for people with trust issues and depression."
"It is!" Layla nodded, "My mom meets them and finds a good match, and then goes and introduces them to the pet, and she checks in very now and then. She has one of the highest success ratings, she could find the right match for him."
"He doesn't know your mom." Warren shook his head. "There's no way he'd do it."
"Who?" Ethan pushed his glasses up on his nose.
"Just think about it. Maybe if you're there with him, or someone else he trusts."
"Hippie, I don't see it happening." Warren opened his book back up. "And you said your mom dose her work in costume, take a wild guess why that's a bad idea."
Layla sighed, "Oh, right."
"I feel out of the loop." Will sighed. "Who are you talking about?"
"You're not getting in the loop." Warren shook his head.
Layla pushed her salad around. "What if…what if mom didn't come in costume?"
"He. Doesn't. Know. Her." Warren ran a hand through his hair. "Heroes and us just don't mix well." He wasn't getting any further in the chapter.
"Well…mom would like you…because of, ah, the cats…they uhm, tell her about you." Layla tried. "They said you never turn away strays."
Warren didn't even look up. Little back stabbers. Sad thing was, he'd feed them again tonight.
He'd had one friend in all his hell. Secret. A stray black cat that he would hide under his bed. She'd let him hold her and cry when the night was done. He'd sneak her out in the morning so she was never trapped. He still couldn't figure out how that monster found out about her, but he'd returned to The House on day to find his precious Secret hanging by the neck from the ceiling fan. Dead.
He shuddered; no he couldn't turn away strays. Secret had been a stray. Barron said it might be a mixture of trauma from what he went through mixed with his own Foenix soul. Feeling a need to protect those of his nation, those he was Locked on. Feeling the same hopeless need to be safe he had for years, the same need to belong to somewhere, someone.
Strays had helped lead him out of his fears. He had someone that deepened on him. Someone to be strong for. Someone that needed him. In the first week after Barron had been forced to go back to the jail, Warren had taken in at lest three stray cats, one of which was pregnant. Those three had grown into six cats that stayed in the house, and any number of stray cats and dogs that would show up on his back step for food, water, and kind words. He never could turn away strays.
"Hippie, he'd freak out."
"Can you talk to him about it?"
Warren sighed, "No promises."
O.O
Kay smiled as Jason stayed in the chair he'd been settled in when she plopped down on the couch. He watched her from over the 'Biscuit' book he had in his hands, but he'd stayed put. "So, how was your day?"
Jason blinked startled. "…G-good…W-wren might have to…have to go soon."
Kay nodded; Warren was upstairs explaining the potential World War and his call to arms to his daughters. Warren hadn't said much, other than if the war did in fact brake out; it wouldn't stay underground, or be short like the last one. The way he said it, she knew that war was almost here. She also knew he was afraid.
Afraid of what would happen when he left. What would happen to him, if he'd get caught and made a P.O.W. again? What would happen to the innocent people that would be in the wrong place at the wrong time? What would happen to his squad?
She knew he was afraid for who he left behind. How Scamp and Mushu would take it. How Jason would take it. Would they all be safe with out him personally there, who would be sent to watch them? Would Key herself be safe?
It was in the middle of the last World War he'd lost Lucy. He'd scrambled for leave to come back. Gotten it, but lost her all the same. The way he held Key now she knew that was on his mind. She knew he still mourned Lucy, she knew he was terrified that he'd louse Eve too. She knew if she died it could break him.
Barron had explained it. He was Locked on her. His Foenix soul was Locked on her. He'd been Locked on Lucy. It was like a balancing act, a perfect counter weight for his powers, and a perfect match for him. He couldn't look anywhere else if he wanted too, and it worked so he never would want to. He'd loved Lucy, and had she not died they'd be engaged. He loved Key and it was almost enviable that they would be married. Unless she said no. Warren would give up everything just to make her happy. If she didn't want it, he wouldn't even ask. Key knew he was taking everything at her speed, and wouldn't ask unless he was sure she was ready and loved him the same way back. She knew that he didn't compare her to Lucy. He said he couldn't as they were two different people. She knew that she had nothing to worry about when it came to Lucy. As Barron had told her, "It's like having your spouse die. After a while you may move on and remarry. That doesn't mean you love ether wife any less. And as Wren may still miss Lucy, he loves you. Trust me I've seen it happen, you not just a Click, you're a Lock."
Clicks and Locks, strange names, but useful. Locked was a spouse love or a love between parents and imdeate family. Clicks where friends that became like family. That girl Layla was most likely one.
Clicks and Locks. Clicks and Locks.
And she was his Key.
Jason sighed, "He said I could get a pet…a do-dog…maybe."
Key nodded. Hippie's pet therapy.
"I-if I wanted t-to…said a h-hero-o w-w-would…" He pulled his legs up to his chest, as if trying to hide.
"I herd she's nice. She's Layla's mom." Key encouraged. "The hippie." She answered the unspoken question. "Warren would be here with you the whole time…I'd be here too if you wanted."
Jason nodded uncurling and slipping away up the stairs with out a back glance, moving as if he was afraid at any moment she'd jump off the couch and tackle him.
Key sighed. She may be Warren's Locked, but Jason still had a hard time around her. It was slowly getting better. That was the longest conversation they'd ever had.
She looked up as Warren trudged down the stairs, looking as if he'd been drained of everything: thoughts, emotions, and strength. All gone as he collapsed on to the couch next to her. "How are they taking it?"
Warren glanced over, "Okay, I guess. They want to know who'd be watching them, how long I'll be gone…I just don't know."
He didn't look like he had enough in him left to even think, much less know. He closed his eyes, resting his head on her shoulder. "Are you feeling alight?"
"Humm?" he cracked one eye open.
"Are you okay?"
"…Yeah, just tiered." He let the eye close again.
"Omega call you yet?"
Warren grunted softly. His shoulders relaxing as Key ran a hand through his hair.
"It will be okay." Key kissed the top of his head. "You should probably go up and sleep in your bed. You look dead on your feet." She tried to help him up.
"No…just stay with me." He sunk back down. "Please Key."
Key nodded, pulling him up to his feet again. "I won't go, but I will make sure you're sleeping in a proper bed."
Warren leaned on her as his feet stumbled. He made no resistance to lying down on his bed, one hand still intertwined with Key's.
"Warren is something wrong?" Key brushed the bangs out of his face.
Warren sat up; the pain in his eyes was frightening. With out warning he scoped her in to a tight embrace. "I will come back," he whispered, "please…please just be carful. If I lost you…" he buried his face in her shoulder, rocking slowly. "Promise me you'll be carful."
"Warren, it'll be okay."
"Please…just promise me." He begged, holding her closer.
"Warren, I'll be fine I promise." Key smiled, "I'm a big girl, tie my own shoes and everything." She wiggled out of his grasp. "Now lay back down, I'll stay."
In the end Key ended up laying beside him, one of his arms protectively over her. She could feel the warmth sink into her, and her own eyes grew heavy till both of them were lying on top of the covers, fast asleep.
O.O
Warren sat in shock, wondering if he was still sleeping. "You'll do it?"
Jason nodded slowly. "…I…I want to t-t-t-try." He paused, "Y-you'll be th-there?"
"The whole time."
Jason sank down on to Warren's bed, shaking.
"Jay if you don't want to, no one is forcing you." Warren whispered.
"…I…I don't w-want to be af-afraid any more…I-I j-just…" Jason broke down sobbing. "P-please…I d-d-don't want to…"
Warren pulled Jason close, rocking him like a child. "It's your call Jay. I'm not going to think any less of you ether way."
O.O
"He'll do it! That's grate! I'll bring my mom over––"
"Hippie, you didn't let me finish. He'll do it, but you'll have to meet us up at the jail, and no capes. Bring just your mom." Warren cut her off as he wiped down the tables.
"Oh…well that's no problem." Layla nodded.
"Hippie," Warren stood, "he could still call it off, just be ready for that."
Layla nodded.
O.O
"So you two are the nice young men those cats tell me so much about." Dawn smiled at the two Battle brothers. Her red hair was back in a bandana, and her clothing looked like she stole it off the cover Hippie Weekly. Jason scooted closer to Warren and Key. "So we're just waiting for your father now? Good, good, I like having the whole family at these things."
Jason bit back tears at 'whole family', he wasn't sure his family would ever be whole again. Key squeezed his hand reassuringly, as the door to the small interview room opened, Barron and Charlie walking in.
"Dawn, it's been a long time, and this must be Layla. Wren's told me about you, good to meet you in person." Barron greeted, sitting on the edge of the table, leaving the two chairs for Dawn, Layla or Key to take. Jason seemed to be debating if it was worth it to cross the few feet to his father's side, as doing so would mean leaving the safety of Warren.
"So are we finding one for each of you then?" Dawn sat down in a chair, as Layla moved to stand next to Warren and Key.
"No, just Jay." Warren blinked surprised.
"I see," Dawn leaned forward, her many beads clinking together. "I need to explain something. Along with talking to animals, I can read people like they do. That is to say I can tell when something is…off." She glanced between Warren and Jason. "There is something definitely off with both of you, and even if you can hide it behind a door, or a mask, you can't hide it from me."
"I don't need therapy. Its just Jay we're helping." Warren's eyes narrowed.
Barron and Charlie sighed. Yes, yes he did need therapy. Any one would after the amount of blood and pain Warren had been through. Warren was just too preoccupied with being strong for others to admit it, or accept help.
"I see." Dawn nodded softly. "Well now Jay, what do you like to do?"
Jason looked blankly at her.
"Do you like to play video games? Walk in the park? Come on I don't bite." Dawn reached out for Jason's hand, but he sought back tripping over his feet and crashing to the floor, where he scooted into the far corner away from her before anyone could move. He stayed there, hugging his knees to his chest, eyes wide and wildly fearful.
"I-I-I can-can't…jus-jus-just can-n't…" Jason sobbed. "S-sorry…I-I…"
Warren and Barron knelt beside him. "It's alright Jay. We can call it off."
Dawn watched them like a fed cat would birds. Cirous but not hungry. "What did I do that upset you?"
Jason shook his head, curling into his father, hiding behind the orange prison uniform.
"Jay, please I just want to help you." Dawn tried again.
Warren sighed, "You're a hero. We haven't had the best experiences with those people."
"I'm not a hero right now. Now I'm just Dawn. I promise Jay, I will not hurt you. Do you want Warren to answer the questions for now?" Dawn smiled softly. "What dose he like to do?"
Warren ran a hand through his hair. "You like looking through old albums, right? And watching the home videos from when we were kids." Jason nodded in his father's embrace. "Read some too, right?"
"So mostly inside?"
Warren nodded, and the questions went on. How active was he? How much energy could he handle? Did he have powers? What where they? Yes it would be kept off file. How much did he sleep? Did he have any thing that made it hard to settle into a normal routine? How big an animal could he handle? What was the routine at home like? It went on, and on.
Finally Dawn stood smiling. "I think I know who to get for you. If it's possible I would like the two of them to meet at your house, but Jay if your more comfortable here that's fine too."
"No promises." Warren muttered.
O.O
Warren loved flying. In the air he was safe; no one could hurt him. In the air he was free; no one could cage him.
"Phoenix do you copy?"
Warren came back to reality. "Roger White Blade. Wisp and Race in place?" He glanced down at the building below him as he spoke into the com. A Playground. He felt the rage burn through him. Finding Jason like he had…hell and back, hell and back. The black Kevlar covered his vitals, his streaks, all of them, glowed in the night. No Spandex. No bright colors. They were the Rouges. They left the flash and ribbon for the day shift.
"We're all set."
Warren dove lower, "Remember our priorities." He could see Wisp on the roof, White Blade was hiding in the tree line, and Race was nearly impossible to find when he was shifted.
"Roger Phoenix." Race answered. "Make a door for us would you?"
"I'd be only to happy too." Warren grinned circling, picking his spot. The furthest away from the captives, the closest he could get to the Corrupted. He shook out the fear, the 'Thing Mind' as he beat his wings soaring upwards, aiming. He was Phoenix. He was Fire. Nothing could cage him now.
Fire. He was Fire.
He let his body burn as he dropped, kicking the air so that he spun in a tight ball.
Inside the Playground Corrupted looked out to see a flaming vengeance seconds before it crashed though what they had thought was indestructible glass.
O.O
Maria cowered back in her dog crate, as the crashing got closer. No more. Please God, no more! She could see the other toys cowering in their own crates. No! Please! Don't let them touch me again! She closed her eyes turning away as the door smashed open. There was a roar. A smash. A defeated moan…and nothing but silence.
Such noisy silence. She could hear her heart racing, the heavy breaths in the room. The panicked whimpers of the other toys.
Then footsteps, the sounds of her crate being opened. She pushed her self as far away as she could go, sobbing as a hand brushed her hair out of her face.
Then words. Soft, gentle words. She couldn't understand them, but still…
"What do you want with me?"
"You speak Spanish?" The voice had almost no accent. "What is your name?"
Maria slowly opened her eyes blinking. "A-angel? God sent an angel to save us?"
The angel smiled, offering a hand to lead her out of the cage. "What is you name?"
"Maria…are they angels too?" She saw others run in the room, they called to the angel and he answered back in the strange speak. She stopped frozen as her eyes fell on one of the men that had kidnapped her…that had been playing with her. He was sprawled on the ground, but coming around.
One of the angel's friends stepped forward, placing a gleaming blade at the monsters neck. Her voice low and threatening.
"I wouldn't say we were angels…" the angel smiled sadly as he crossed over to another cage, melting the lock and gently coxing the next toy out.
Again and again.
Till the last crate. Maria grimaced. The perfect toy sat there, the pet, just sat looking up with glazed, lifeless eyes. Not responding to the gentle words, the soft comforts. She heard the angel trying different languages, more than she ever thought possible for someone to know. Still the toy sat unmoved.
"She won't leave with out the leash." Maria slowly walked over, looking down at the naked toy that now played idly with its collar. The angel looked sickened, repeating what she said over his shoulder to his questioning friends. Maria handed him the red, dog leash. He took it slowly, disgusted.
Maria watched as he crouched, trying soft words again and getting the same result. He looked up at her, "She has to have a leash? There's no other way?"
"Could grab it," Maria suggested softly.
The angel shook his head. "You all have been throw around, and grabbed at enough."
He was an Angel. The way he looked at them. Not disgusted, or lusting, or at their bodies. He looked at their faces, never once glancing down at the skimpy provocative costumes they'd been forced into. He spoke to, not at them. Maria turned at looked back at the other three. None had wings but still moved and treated them the same way. The girl had white bangs and was rocking a pair of sobbing children. One man, the blond haired one was sorting through a bag, as the brown haired one kept a gun pointed in-between the eyes to the monster. They were Angels. They were saving the toys.
The angel then sighing offered the leash to the pet, still speaking softly. Slowly the pet crawled out, making small whimpers, eyes on the leash. Slowly it crawled into the light, pressing its self against the angel, moving like a cat. Tilting its head back for the leash to be clipped on to the collar. The angel searched the pet's eyes and looked back up at Maria. "She really thinks she's some animal?"
As the pet heard the disgust in his voice it rolled onto its back, like a dog, whimpering. The angel looked back at the leash and flung it flaming as far as it would go. The blond haired man striped the shin sheets off of a small bed in the corner and crossed over covering the pet.
The angel held the pet out of the cage as it tried to crawl back inside. Rocking it, speaking more soft soothing words, till standing he carried it over sitting it down among the toys.
"I'll be right back." He promised standing.
Maria's eyes never left the door he'd exited in till he came back, dragging more monsters. They were tied and bruised. His words were no longer soft or gentle as he barked at them. Forcing them to kneel down by the other monster. The two men took over. One monster tried to run but only succeeded in angering the angel, who now snarled and snapped as a wolf, alight with flame. The blond haired man looked about and counted them nodding to himself he closed his eyes and the strangest spin ran through her spine.
Maria blinked as several surprised person looked at them. Then the angel forced the monsters forward.
O.O
Warren watched as Race and the other doctors tended to the people they'd just saved. "So what happened to her?" He whispered as Charlie took his hand off the girls shoulder.
"She was made into an animal, through mental and physical torment." Charlie sighed. Warren looked down at the girl. She slept soundly, her head resting on his leg. "She thinks you're her alpha now…or at lest that's what I think she's thinking." He shook his head; his powers had a will of their own picking and choosing what he could know.
Warren ran a hand through his hair. The Corrupted had all been taken away. Locked up in some other prison. They couldn't stay here. For one they'd be killed, too many enemies. Two, Maxville High Security was a cover. The sentences could be for life or a few years, but here was where you were sent for knowing too much. For being in the wrong place in the wrong time. For being a scape goat. No one who was confined with in the wall had committed what they were charged for, and someone on the judicial board knew that so put them here for safe keeping till the evidence could be gathered to set them free.
It was more relaxed, safe, and understanding. When the Rouges started, the 'jail' offered their infirmary as a place to bring the victims for treatment, where they'd be safe from other capes and prying eyes.
The group they'd just brought in had been giving proper clothing and food. They were being cared for. There was one that worried him. The ex-pet. "Could you find her name?"
Charlie shook his head. "You may need to call you uncle in for this one."
Warren nodded, smiling gently down at the girl that blinked up yawning. Smiling she reached up and licked his chin like a puppy. Frowning when she realized that her collar was no longer with her. "It's okay." Warren soothed her and she snuggled closer to him. "Tell Dad we're going to need help." He whispered.
Charlie nodded walking away, passing Wisp. "Hay, how is she?" Wisp looked down at the girl that had become preoccupied with her clothing and wiggled about as if uncomfortable in the pajama pants and shirt.
"Well…" Warren thought, "She's not hungry or cold any more."
"Hard to be that close to you and be cold." Wisp took his visor off his eyes. "If there's any bright side, I've got more than enough evidence to get sentences on those…people that make Barron's look like a visit."
Warren allowed a grin. "Nice how our miss-matched jobs work so well with this, isn't it?"
"And Mom was always so worried I'd be wasting my gifts as a lawyer." Wisp shook his head grinning. "Race on the other hand became a doctor to avoid being a sidekick. White Blade works at a coffee house, and volunteers at a center. You…I don't even think I know every thing you do: tables, spy, sing, father…do you have a trucking industry in your back pocket or something as well?"
"Or something." Warren shrugged. "No leave the pants on." He pulled the girls hands away from her waistband. "So till Uncle get's here what are we calling her?"
"Jane Doe." Race came over, rubbing his eyes. "I have a late shift tonight on top of this."
"Don't call you tomorrow?"
"Oh you can call, I just won't wake up to answer till five in the afternoon." Race laughed. "All these kids where from outside of the country." He added straight-faced. "The one little boy is German, some French, a few from Spain but mostly England."
"The family will look into it." Warren nodded as Jane peered at the new comers.
"Got to love that family of yours." White Blade walked over and kissed him, or at lest tired to. Jane jumped at her hissing. Drawing back to snuggle closer.
"Uh, Charlie?" Warren called. "What exactly is an 'alpha' to her?"
"Well…" Charlie felt his ears turn red. "I think it's like a dominant lover."
"Uncle better hurry."
O.O
Omega let his eyes wander over the company. So many frightened young faces. He looked back at Theta and nodded. His abilities were needed.
"Uncle?" Warren looked up from the girl that had curled herself in his lap. Theta reached forward her mind didn't feel right. It didn't look right either. None of the children's did. The ragtag bunch of vigilantes had the taint of fear, hate and disgust on their minds. He leaned back, washing away the fear, letting them feel safe. "As these are minors," he glanced over at a guard, "I suppose someone not related to me needs to monitor this?"
O.O
"I suppose someone not related to me needs to monitor this?"
Charlie nodded, his eyes widening as the room just relaxed, their eyes all slipped closed.
Theta glanced about, and then closed his eyes. Nothing moved. The man standing in the corner began to pick his way towards Barron. Kneeling down he shook him lightly on the shoulder. Nothing happened. The man slept soundly, more relaxed than Charlie had ever seen him. "What just happened?"
The man looked up, "Trance." He moved around repositioning people into more comfortable positions. "Six trains could all crash in here, not one of them would stir."
Charlie glanced around. At the very least there was thirty that slumped over. The man in the middle had all of their minds in his grasp…at once…that wasn't something even the most powerful mind benders he knew could do.
"No new marks…maybe you are handling it." He laid Warren on his side, the youth's body so relaxed the man had to manually fold his wings against his back.
"Handling it?"
The man looked back. "As many times as we offer, or try, Warren won't take our help. Thinks maybe he brought it on himself or something…any way he said he'd get it under control, and maybe he is." He shrugged laying White Blade beside him. "Maybe."
O.O
Warren let his hands strum as his mind wandered. Jane turned out to be an Alice. A very humiliated Alice from London that had been missing for two years. The Battle family had come in to take the freed back home. He'd wandered home to find Jason determined to see the dog idea through…at home. Now that's all they were waiting for.
"Dad! They're here!"
"Coming." Warren put the guitar aside walking to the front room. Jason was asleep on the couch. "Wake up Jay, it's time." Warren shook him gently as Natalie and Alyssa lead in Dawn and Layla. A large dog weaved in-between them ad up to Jason.
"I say he looks like Balto." Natalie scratched the dog behind the ear as Jason blinked awake, jumping back before slowly reaching forward and rubbing the dog's head.
Warren watched as the dog climbed up onto the couch, laying his head in Jason's lap. Dawn sat next to them explaining how things would work. Jason didn't even seem to care how close she was, as he rubbed his new dog's belly.
"He's from up north. Likes the cold." Layla whispered, "So it'll all work out between them."
Warren nodded watching.
Perhaps every thing would work out.
