Next chapter! Pretty sure this isn't the last chapter, not yet anyway. Not much to say other than thanks for the reviews and I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint.

I don't own the Covenant or any of the characters, nor am I making any money off of this. Not that you didn't already know that…

Reid hated what they had done to him. He felt impotent, helpless, weak. It was a new feeling for him, and he didn't like it at all. He kept trying to use, being unable to accept what they had done, but he couldn't even create a breeze. It was pathetic. So he stalked back and forth across the room, refusing to talk to anyone.

He had woken up a few minutes ago to the three of them staring at him from across the room, as if he might turn them all into lizards or something if they said anything. Yeah, like that was going to happen. "Take a picture; it'll last longer." He knew it was a pathetic attempt at a jibe, but he was so edgy he couldn't think of anything better. He tried to use again, but still nothing.

Stop, Reid. I know you want to use, but it's not helping when you strain against us like that. Just calm down.

I'm sorry, but you're not the one who feels like a dog that just came home from the vet after being fixed; you don't get to tell me what to do.

Tyler laughed. Reid glared at him. "And just what the hell are you laughing at, Sims?" Tyler immediately stopped and shook his head.

"So, Caleb. How long do I have to put up with this?" He couldn't keep the sneer out of his voice. Not that he wanted to keep it out, but it would have been there regardless.

Caleb sighed. "I don't know, Reid. Until you don't need to use."

"And just how long will that take?"

"I don't know. And asking me again won't make it take any less time. What, is there somewhere you need to be?"

Reid glared at him and resumed his stalking. "I need to get some air."

"Want some company?"

"No." He left the room.

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He stalked outside, resuming his pacing. It was getting colder, but he just pulled his jacket closer around himself and ignored it. He should be thankful, he knew; Caleb was only trying to help, and if this is what it took for him to break his addiction, then maybe it was for the best. But he couldn't help but be pissed at Caleb and the others for taking away the one thing that made him different from everyone else. They were going to give it back, sure; they just had to make sure he wasn't going to lose control once he got it back. But it still sucked.

He kicked a rock, making it fly a few feet before it hit a tree and bounced to the ground. He could still feel the Power within him, he just couldn't access it. It spoke up for the first time in a few days, telling him that his friends were lying to him, and that they weren't going to unblock the Power ever. That's not true. They will.

'How do you know? Maybe Caleb was lying.'

Yeah, right. Caleb doesn't know how, unless it's about the Covenant. And even that he blew the minute Sarah showed up.

'Well, what if you never break your addiction? What if you can't live without using?'

No. Not an option. I've only been addicted for a few weeks; I can beat it, no problem.

'That's what your father thought.'

Shut up.

'Oh yeah, that's a real comeback. You know what "shut up" means? It means "You're right, but I don't want to accept it, so I'm just going to pretend you're full of shit so I don't have to actually deal with it." '

Reid leaned up against the wall. Shouldn't the Power's mocking voice be gone as well as his ability to use? Apparently not. He sighed. "Just go away," he said.

'Not a chance. You do realize your friends are full of shit, right? They don't actually think this will work.'

"Then why the hell would they try it, smartass?"

'I don't know. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that they're afraid of you, of what you can do, so they locked it up so they don't have to feel so threatened.'

"You're not even making sense."

'But you're listening.'

So you're telling me my friends are jealous, and that's why they're keeping my Power locked away.

'Of course.'

"Bullshit."

'Reid, Reid, Reid. Don't you understand? I'm just telling you things you've already thought of. This isn't new information; you've always thought they were against you. Just because you're paranoid, it doesn't mean they're not out to get you, right?'

Reid shook his head. That's not how it is. They're trying to help.

'Now who's saying bullshit? Think about it, Reid; Caleb's always been trying to keep you down, telling you not to use so much or else you'll get addicted. What he doesn't know is that what he calls addiction is where this is all supposed to be going; it's a higher plane of existence, if you will.'

You're beginning to sound like Chase.

Chase was right and you know it.

Reid shook his head. 'What, you don't believe me? Chase was a god. And you could be too if you just gave in instead of fighting it.'

Chase was a psychotic bastard. I'm not buying what you're selling, so just give it up already.

'Okay; I'll stop. But just think about what we've talked about, alright? You're stronger than all of them; it would be a shame to waste that.'

Reid slid down the wall. Nothing was ever easy, was it? The voice was lying, he knew it. It had to be.

But what if it wasn't? He hit the wall in frustration. Why him? Why, out of all the members of the Covenant, did the Power have to choose him to taunt and try to compromise? He knew why. It was because he was the most susceptible to it; his father had given in, his grandfather had given in, his great grandfather, and so on and so forth. He was the perfect candidate. But he refused; he wasn't going to be talked into it by a fucking disembodied voice. It didn't know him, it didn't know his friends. Just because he had, at times, thought his friends were against him didn't mean he actually believed that; the Power was just latching on to any thought he had ever had, without thinking about the context. He reflexedly tried to use, but caught himself before he got very far. It wouldn't work, and every time he tried to use was probably only making things worse. He began to pound the wall over and over, venting all his frustration over the past few weeks, until his knuckles bled. And even then, he kept going, as tears of frustration began to stream down his face.

Caleb came out of the house and saw Reid. He walked over, trying to avoid detection until he was standing right next to him. "What are you doing?" He asked. There was no accusatory tone, no sarcasm, just those four words. Reid ignored him and kept pounding the wall, as if he could make all his problems go away if he just hit it hard enough.

"Reid, stop it." He got no response. He grabbed Reid's wrists, forcing him to stop. "Reid, what the hell are you doing?" Reid looked away, trying to pull out of Caleb's grasp. "Look at me." Reid shook his head. "Damn it, Reid," Caleb said, and pushed him against the wall, grabbing his chin and forcing Reid to look at him. "What are you doing? Do you think you'll accomplish something if you keep punching a stone wall?"

"Just leave me alone." Reid raised his hands to push Caleb away, but Caleb grabbed them again. He looked at Reid's hands, the knuckles ripped up and bleeding. "Why…?"

"I told you; just leave me alone." Reid pulled his hands out of Caleb's grasp and pushed him out of the way. He stormed off, trying to get as far away from everyone else as he could. It was hard enough dealing with it without everyone else looking at him. He hated their stares, their concern, their pity. He didn't want it, and he certainly didn't need it. He needed to get through this on his own, not with the 'help' of their carefully chosen words and awkward silences and empty words of encouragement.

Yeah, I know; I didn't give you any idea of whether Reid is going to be okay at the end or not. Sorry; I just figured that this was a good place to stop and it's been a few days since I've posted, so I figured I'd better so you know I haven't fallen off the face of the earth or anything…lol. Next chapter will be up as soon as possible. Promise.