Chibiyu: Time to have some fun.

Nick: I believe a "crap" is necessary here.

Chibiyu: Yes, "crap" indeed.

.Third person is growing on me – I am determined to get better at it.

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Fifteen deaths and the one who killed them is still missing.

Yeah. They were lucky.

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Feet pounded heavily against the pavement. Running. Running from something unknown. Unable to breathe; my lungs were scarred from the solar flares. And the screams…oh god the screams. Hopeless, terrified, pained. So loud. Echoing through the buildings, through everything. Forever imbedded in my mind – never will I be free from them. Never.

Red and green mixed, but there was nothing festive about this. Nothing to celebrate; everything to mourn. So much death, so many screams. Too many…too much.

And all of it would go away. I could feel it lessening even now as the urge to close my eyes grew. The stars grew darker every time I dared to blink and with every breath brought a new surge of relief. I couldn't move, but I didn't need to. The ground was soft, the sky was tranquil and the air was finally silenced. I just need to let go and succumb; to let myself be at peace.

I almost made it – almost was able to let myself fall – but something tethered me. Someone spoke my name. That someone was determined to curse me to this endurance test known as life. He spoke again, and this time, his voice broke through the haze of comforting clouds. Joe…they did come. I tried to speak, to open my eyes, but everything was too difficult, too heavy.

He spoke again, sounding even further away. Something more happened, something I cannot even register. The ground below me split open just as the bombs starting dropping, and I fell. Straight through the curtains that had tempted me into their warm safety. Straight down into nothing.

Down…

"Nick?"

I sound have heard air whistling passed my ears as I fell, but all was quiet. It was just me and my screams.

"Wake up, Nick."

Breath caught in my throat as I tried to scream. The bottom, I can see it.

"Calm down, Mom. Heather said he'd be fine."

I tried to claw at the air, to catch anything to stop my descent, but there was nothing. My arms covered my head and I curled into a ball. A flash a red. A glimmer of ivory. That was all the warning I received before the Guardian lunged from the abyss, its mouth open, ready for its new prey.

"Whoa!"

Nick had bolted straight up, nearly knocking heads with Kevin. The youngest glanced around wildly, not comprehending anything. Sandy, Tom, Joe, Kevin and Frankie were all there, staring at him with alarm. Their white faces matched his; wide eyes exactly the same, minus the tremendous amount of worry consuming the face of the mother. The youngest of them all stared at his older brother's face, blinked once and leaned back, smiling happily.

"You're ok." The simple truth of this statement had smiles breaking out over the entire family's faces.

All the youngest could do was stare, rather blankly in Joe's opinion, but open eyes were better than closed. The whole family watched Nick's eyes follow Frankie's relieved too-high jump and all released a breath when he smiled small at the youngest Lucas hitting his head lightly on the ceiling.

"Are you in pain?" Everyone jumped at Tom's soft voice, their attention quickly focusing on the one pushing himself from his pillows.

"Should I be?" Nick questioned, voice rough from the day's chaos. Sandy pursed her lips, being the only one to notice her son's very well hidden discomfort and lack of energy. But a mother always knows – especially one who can read her sons thoughts and emotions. "What was the damage she caused?"

The men of the room exchanged looks, all asking the same thing: should we tell him? Frankie, nervous to be around when the news was shared, waved to his family and sped down the fire pole hole, only clipping his shoulder on the way down.

Nick hung his head, Sandy reaching over and touching her son gently on the arm. His sorrow, though great, was nothing compared to the guilt. "You couldn't have done anything," she told him, moving to stroke his hair, but he moved away. Though slightly hurt, she got the message and stood, dragging her husband down the stairs with her. She understood that Nicholas needed to have a talk with his brothers. Only when things were cleared between them would he come to her.

"Who lived?" The inquiry was simple enough, but both of the silent brothers knew this was easier to answer than 'who died.'

Kevin opened his mouth to respond as Joe scooted closer, sliding next to their still pale brother. "You, Brianna and Eric."

Joe had expected more of a reaction from his brother, but he remained stoic. "Eric said you saved him." A nod was the only response. "Hey Kev, our brother's a Hero." The title caused the addressed to cringe inwardly, his tongue getting caught between his teeth.

Kevin joined his brothers, squeezing on Nick's other side and wrapping an arm around the younger. "That he is." Neither of their smiles lasted, however, as Nick shuddered, gasping softly as Joe accidently touched that had nearly caused Nick's death.

"Sorry," Joe went to move away, but unknown to him, Nick's hand had wrapped around his wrist. "What is it, Nick?"

Only when Kevin's arm wrapped tighter around the younger's shoulders did Nick swallow thickly and wipe his eyes. Both brothers were shocked at this – neither had seen the tears.

"I've been an idiot." The statement was so full of shame that the older brothers were struck speechless for a countless moment. "All you wanted to do was prevent this," Nick gestured weakly to his side, his head angled away from us, "From happening. And I've been thankless and a jerk because of it."

"Care to share the blame?" Joe spoke up, no humor in his voice. Nick and Kevin both glanced over; surprised that Joe would have openly admitted his wrongs to Nick. "I've been more of a jerk than you have Nick. You had a reason."

"You did too," the youngest whispered, shifting slightly, as though trying to pull away from me, but not wanting to move just yet. "I don't want to die and it was foolish of me to not listen."

Kevin sighed, gaining the attention of his younger siblings. "No, it was foolish of Joe and I to not talk to you. To treat you like that. To be late nearly every time you were taken."

No one spoke after this; the silence seemed to be a vote of agreement.

Nick looked out the window, unable to smile when he saw the tiny bird perched there, watching him with sad eyes. "So few…" the meaning of his words were lost to this listening.

"So few, what?"

Nick did not reply. Instead, he pointed towards the window. Joe got up and let in the bird, watching it fly over settle by Nick's feet. He turned to close the window and when he looked back, he was unsurprised to see a girl holding the feather of a small bird.

"So few left alive," Paragon clarified, her eyes filled with the sorrow that resonated through the city. "But it could have been worse." No one could deny this. Florice's very name was enough to ready an army – her fights were as legendary as her poison, and just as deadly. "You are mean, by the way," the girl glared at Nick though there was a soft look in her eyes. She held out her scabbing arm and barely closed scratches on her hand.

Nick blinked, gingerly taking his friend's arm with shaking hands and sighed, nothing but apology and guilt in his entire frame. Paragon smiled gently, pulling her arm away. "It's fine Bro-mal. Not like I'm going to hold it against you." Joe shot Paragon a look at this, as if saying: Come on, you did to me!

Nick sent her a thankful smile, a look of self-hatred filling his eyes. He changed the subject before anyone could comment on it. "Was she caught?"

Paragon hung her head at her friend's question, knowing he would understand her unspoken word. Nick's eyes closed and he took a shaky breath, not willing to break down. Kevin's arm tightened around his brother, shielding himself from the waves of mourning that crashed from Nick's conscience into his own. Moments like this forced the eldest Lucas to remember just how strong Nick really was. He couldn't lift a bus like Joe could or sense anyone one the planet like he could, but he faced so much more. And he dealt with it. He lived with it. That was more than any Hero could ever do.

"Ray wanted to thank you for saving Eric," Joe tried to lighten the mood, but his attempt was lost with Nick's short nod. "And Brianna said you were scared. She wanted to hug you really badly when we last saw her." Joe smirked at something, trying to hide his laugh. "Valenteen didn't seem too pleased about that."

"But Florice proved one thing," Kevin stated, drawing three pairs of eyes on him. "Normals are made of some tough stuff." He squeezed Nick's shoulder, noting an inconceivably small smile on the younger's face. "A Hero would have booked it instead of charging at her and shooting her plants." Nick's cheeks reddened slightly as he shot a glare Paragon's way.

She stuck her tongue out, forcing a smile. "It's my job to brag about my friends."

"Since when?"

Paragon smirked, fingers fiddling with her black attire. "Since now."

"Speaking of shooting," Joe changed the subject back and stood. He retrieved something from Nick's desk. He tossed the small object, Nick catching it easily. "It's more useful with you."

The Normal looked at Tac's gun, shoulders falling in timid relaxation when he saw that it was fully charged to five green tic marks. "Thanks."

Joe sat back down, wary to not touch his brother in fear of hurting him again. "You beat the buffoon, you deserve it."

Paragon rolled her eyes and stood, stretching in a cat-like manner. She waved at them, saying something about needing to rob McDonalds for dinner before strutting passed Joe. She purposefully knocked the brother sideways, pushing him closer to her friend before winking at Joe and leaping out the window.

A chuckle startled the Heroes, them looking at Nick in surprise. The brother was leaning into Kevin, humor dancing in his eyes at Paragon's little plan. He reached over and tugged the middle Lucas over, pulling him into a hug.

"I think you have a new fan, Joe."

Sandy smiled when she heard the footsteps of her son nearing the room. Tom had taken Frankie outside to teach him the basics of cleaning up some a catastrophe so no one would walk into their conversation. She took off her rubber gloves and turned from the sink in time to see her son round the corner and sit at the counter, not meeting her eyes.

"Hi Nick," she greeted, reaching over and ruffling her son's bed head. She allowed herself a small smile when he didn't pull away from her. "Are you feeling ok, sweetie?"

Nick shrugged, not used to speaking to his mother about things like this. He could have died last night and he had no idea how to talk about it to his mom. And Sandy didn't know how to speak to her son about this either. But she knew that he was the one who needed to speak first. He experienced it, was still feeling the pain – all she knew was the relief that her son was still with her.

"I'm sorry," Nick finally spoke, but his head did not rise. "My behavior has been terrible lately. You don't deserve it."

Sandy walked over and hugged her son, her head falling on his shoulder. "It's alright. There's a lot of stress that comes with being a Normal. It didn't help that your brothers were degrading you either."

"You knew?"

"Don't be so surprised, dear." She smiled and rolled her kind eyes at her son's comical face. "It was their job to make it right though. If I intervened then it would have made things worse. Besides, you know how Joe is when it comes to being told what to do." That got a smirk out of Nick at the thought of his procrastination prone brother.

"I just…"

"You're not useless, Nick," Sandy knew her son hated it when she read his thoughts, but there were some things you didn't need to be a mind-reader to know. "And you're not weak. You're a survivor and you are going to stay that way." She had heard her son's admittance about death and she wanted his fear to go away, even if it meant lying to his face.

"But…"

"Forget about the odds against you, Nick. Don't be afraid to die, because if you are, then you're afraid to live." Sandy sighed, feeling the underlying emotions surging through her son and feeling the amount of strength he was wasting in holding them back. "No one is going to let you go without a fight. The ones who died last night are proof of that. Everyone came together to stop that terrible girl. Normals brought us together and untied us against one cause. Everyone forgot their allotted sides because of their sisters and brothers – they didn't let them go without a fight."

"But they still died," Nick shook his head, wiping his eyes and trying to keep himself together. "They died as bait. As nothing more than something lure out the Heroes and Villains. As nothing. They died as nothing and for nothing." The youth's eyes closed and his fingers curled into fists, his nails digging into his palm, but he didn't care. "They were human beings not some disposable plant food. Yet every single person with powers seems to think we are nothing more than the drop of blood that lures the sharks."

And so came his tears. Sandy Lucas held her son as he cried, letting herself feel his frustration, his anger, and his deep river of sorrow. His emotions crashed into her, washing away her own grief until it poured from her eyes as well. She felt his stabs of pain as he shuddered from the sobs he was trying to suppress. She felt the pureness of his hatred towards anyone who could do any supernatural. And for the first time, she could understand it.

Nicholas was right; Normals were seen that way to anyone who didn't have one in the family. As bait, never as a life. It didn't matter what side you were on. Villains kidnapped the siblings daily to lure out their enemies or to find a challenge, not caring what happened to those caught in the cross fire. Heroes chose to save their own before moving in after the Normals. Joe had done that when Nick was younger – he had been so bent on getting his terrified brother to safety and putting the old woman who did this to him behind bars, that he overlooked the younger sister in the corner. He didn't know about her death until much later. And he still was in pain over it.

"We'll make it right, Nick."

Her words were answered by the way he cut himself from her. She felt nothing from him besides the beating of his heart, the heat of his tears staining her shirt, and the small shake of his limbs. She sighed lightly, hating how he didn't want to share his thoughts on this with her, but she wouldn't push him. After last night, she couldn't bring herself to. So the mother just held her son tightly, unwilling to ever let him go. And the son seemed to share the same thought line, as his arms never wavered. Neither knew what the future was going to hold. Neither knew if this was the last moment the two would share together. They only knew that the world is a strange and unforgiving place. So Sandy prayed her son would be given mercy.

And Nick prayed for the madness to end.

"Uh, Nick?"

The two broke apart. Frankie stood in the doorway, pointing with a disgruntled face at the familiar stain on his shirt and a feather stuck in his hair, suggesting he hit a bird. "Tell your friend to watch where she is aiming."

A smile broke through the tear-induced haze in Nick's eyes as he regarded his younger brother. "Easy problem to solve: stop running into birds."

Their mom, who had no clue whom they were talking about, opened her mouth in question. Frankie cut her off by waving his hand and stalking upstairs, muttering about stupid birds. Nick jumped away from his mom, wanting to avoid telling her that he was friends with a Villain. But she smiled, catching on rather quickly.

"Why don't you invite Paragon inside?" Nick's eyes widened, his breathing stopping. "It's ok, Nick. I have nothing against the girl. She was tapping at your window all through the night."

Nick tried to come up with a story to explain this, but it went out the window when the Villain strode through the door and flashed him a smile. She had a red mark on her forehead, something she was poking at with her finger. "Birds have bad bladder control."

"That is the worst apology I have ever heard!" Frankie shouted down, a scowl evident in his voice. Kevin and Joe were heard snorting with laughter.

Nick looked over as his dad walked in, amusement in his eyes as well. It ebbed away when his eyes landed on the girl that was currently leaning against the counter next to Nick, but he did not speak on it. Paragon narrowed her eyes at Tom as well, as though challenging him to try something. He moved on, kissing his wife's cheek and stopping right behind Nick in a protective manner.

"She's ok, dad."

"I don't have a say in this, do I?"

"No," five voices answered him, causing the father to smile and nod in defeat.

"Then welcome, Paragon."

The girl shrugged at the begrudged greeting, leaning against Nick in a way that was sure to annoy Tom Lucas further. "McDonalds was closed. Got any food?"

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Chibiyu: This chapter did not want to be written. Oh well. Macy and Stella may come in next chapter! About time, right? Until Next Update!
Written on 12/18/11