AN: Don't worry folks, I haven't forgotten about Chapter 98. It'll just take some more time to get everything planned out. But I took the time to write this, the first flashback chapter. There were others I tried to do, but ultimately never finished. But this one I was pretty excited about. This time, we're going way back to the early 90's. Before Serena and Kyle were even born, when Amara was still in Cairo, and Nathan would be about ten. And obviously this is before the Normal/Other World Split.

The first news thing is an event that actually happened in 1993, during The Troubles. The second? Well, that's for you to figure out. Enjoy!

Bonus Chapter 10: Thunder and Lightning

|October 30th 1993|Kanaloa – Ford Fiesta|4:00 pm|

It was the early 90s. Kanaloa, while much better than it had been twenty years ago, still was a terrible place to live. For the boy in the back seat of a rusty third generation Ford Fiesta, however, it had been a great place to call home. Blaine Spencer and his family had been happy, in their small house, even if they hardly ever had money to spend. But for two long years, Blaine had been through hell.

It still haunted his nightmares. The police coming to the front door, telling him and his mother the dark truth. His father had shot himself in prison, out of shame. Blaine would never see him again. Ever since that day, he had been miserable. No one at school was there to say how sorry they were. They just thought it was hilarious, that this supposedly great dad had been caught trying to rob a bank. Suicide did not illicit sympathy, not for these children.

And his mother couldn't cope, either. She hardly ever went shopping, usually making Blaine do it. The house quickly became a mess, and the once pretty mother became dishellved, sitting in front of the television in disinterest. This poor woman was now a hollow of her former self. When word got to Blaine's school about how filthy his home had become, the Social Services had to intervene.

As luck would have it, a family in Kanaloa were willing to foster him. They had children of their own, both boys, so Blaine might get along with them. Or at least, that's what the social workers kept saying. Pauline, however, needed intense therapy until she was declared fit to look after her son. This meant that for the foreseeable future, Blaine was stuck with total strangers.

"I'm not going! I don't wanna go!" The boy, aged twelve, roared. "Mommy will get better! She's not that bad, honest! She's just a little depressed, it'll pass! I don't have to go here!"

"Please, Blaine, at the present time this is the best option for your wellbeing." The social worker, Casey, said. "We're not saying your mother is 'crazy' or anything. She needs some support, and while she's recovering, you need another place to stay. The Kingsleys will treat you well, I'm certain of that. I've been to their house on several occasions, and their home is nothing like a dump. Please be polite to them, alright?"

"Fuck you!" The boy shouted. Casey sighed, and kept quiet. Perhaps she wanted to tell him off, but wanted to avoid further tantrums. Blaine crossed his arms, looking away from her.

Who does she think she is? Acting so cool, like's she's got everything under control! It's her fault I have to leave home! Ugly old witch...she reeks of cigarettes, too!

Blaine looked out the window, as they drove through Gregory Street. There were some young adults in a stand-off, probably about to get into a fight about something inconsequential. If Blaine's dad Timothy had been around, he would have put a stop to them in second. But Blaine was still too weak to do anything, he told himself. Just a stupid kid who had to do what the grown-ups wanted him to do.

Dad, if you hadn't died, I wouldn't have to be in this car...I wouldn't have to meet this stupid Kingsley family! If only Mom would get better...until then, I'm stuck having to share a room with some other kid!

|Marchmont Terrace|4:10 pm|

Finally, the card parked outside Marchmont Terrace, one of the newer housing estates in Kanaloa. These red and beige brick buildings were largely considered eyesores, yet for Kanaloa it meant they fit in nicely. Blaine shuddered, having heard stories about the people who lived there. His dad had kept him safe from the harsher side of Kanaloa, but now he was exposed to the terrifying world in front of him. This place might have sober people living here, but it didn't mean they weren't dangerous.

"Here we are. Number 15." Casey said, opening the back door. Annoyed, he stomped out, and grabbed his belongings from the boot. Without even looking at her, always on the floor, he slowly went with her to the front door. "Try and make an effort. If you have to leave, it might be months until we find someone else."

The door opened, revealing a tall, skinny lady with black curly hair. She smiled, waving at Blaine, who gave her a distant, sad stare. Casey nudged him, and he waved back, with a forced smile.

"Ah, so you're Blaine. My name is Mrs Kingsley. Nice to meet you." This was Rachael, a lady who seemed to be wearing strong make up. She didn't suit it nearly as well as his mother, Blaine thought.

"...Hey." Blaine said, flatly.

"He's a handful. I hope you and your husband know what you're doing." Casey said. "Please, do get in touch if the situation becomes too much."

"Oh...that shouldn't happen. Until his mother's health improves, we'd be happy to take Blaine in for a little while." Rachael said. "Now, where are the rest of your belongings?"

"We...had to sell them..." Blaine mumbled, staring at the box in his hands.

"You poor boy." Rachael said. "Well, you'd better come in. Thank you, Miss."

Casey walked back to her car, waving, and drove off. Blaine marched into the house, and stared at it in jealously. It was so clean, so neat...the sort of house he had lived in two years ago. His father had always made sure to keep the house as polished as possible, often encouraging Blaine to help in the spring cleaning. Would he have to help this lady with that?

"Right. There are three bedrooms upstairs. You'll be in the one on the right." Rachel said. "Now – Dan, turn that TV off! He's here!"

"I'm coming already, don't shout!" A bored voice said. Coming out from the living room was an older boy, with short black hair and green eyes. Even at fourteen, he was rather bulky, wearing a black rock band shirt and jeans. "This him?" He glanced at this boy, and shrugged.

"...Yeah." Blaine said, looking away. This older guy looked like he had a temper. Better not get on his bad side, Blaine told himself.

"This is my eldest, Daniel." Rachael said.

"It's Dan, Mom..." The youth scowled, completely disinterested. "So you got a name?"

"Dan honey, we told you already. His name is -"

"Hey, he ought to introduce himself. I'm letting him sleep in my room for a while, it's the least he can do." Dan said.

"Blaine Spencer." The two boys stared at each other, both nonplussed. Just then, someone else walked in from the living room. A tiny little boy, with hair and eyes similar to the older one, but only a toddler. He wore a tiny white t-shirt, complete with equally small dungarees.

"Oh, there he is!" Rachael said, beaming, as she lifted the toddler into her arms. "Blaine, this darling is Matthew! Say hello, Matthew!"

"Hello..." Matthew said, staring curiously at the new arrival. "I'm hungry!"

"Alright, sweetie, we'll be having dinner soon! Dan, could you please show Blaine his room?" Rachael said. "Please don't be difficult about this, it's only temporary..."

"Yeah, whatever. I don't got a choice anyway." Dan said, already heading upstairs. "What are you waiting for, kid? Hurry up!"

Blaine, sighing, walked up to the landing, which was decorated with a red carpet and white walls. Dan flung his bedroom door open, revealing it had been divided into two halves. The first, facing the window, was completely neat. The sheets on the bed were nearly folded, and there were generic paintings there. Blaine scowled at them, and started to unload his items – mostly clothes, and a few old photo albums.

"At least you won't need to use my space." Dan said, amused. Blaine did not respond, instead looking over at the other side of the room. It looked like a bomb had hit it, with the sheets almost fully on the floor, clothes poking out of drawers, and posters of boxers, wrestlers, and various motorcycles on the wall. Underneath the bed was what looked like a stack of adult magazines, and some VHS tapes from the nearby rental shop.

"Hey, are those -"

"Watch it!" Dan said, kicking them further back. "That's my stuff, not yours! And if you tell my folks, I'll -"

"You'll what?" Blaine asked, aggressive. "Kill me? A bit harder to hide a dead body than some naughty magazines!"

"...Shut up." Dan said. "Look, I'm letting you crash here for a little bit. My folks are pretty generous to let you have somewhere 'safe and sound'. But there are ground rules, you know. Number 1: No cramping my style. If I'm bringing any of my friends up here, you better get lost. They're mine, not yours."

"Hey, let me grab a pencil before you start lecturing me..." Blaine said, unimpressed.

"Oh, you won't need to write this down. You're not gonna forget this any time soon." Dan said, angry. "Number 2: You don't touch any of my stuff. Our folks might do alright for Kanaloa, but we're not rolling in it either. That's why you don't get your own room. So if I catch you even trying to touch my stuff...you're gonna regret it. Got that?"

"Don't look at me like I'm some kind of moron. I'm not even going to breathe near your stupid stuff. You can just pretend I'm not here." Blaine said.

"Fine, then you can sleep easy." Dan said, displeased. "Then there's only one more rule. You saw my kid brother downstairs, right?"

"What am I, a goldfish? Course I remember him." Blaine said, bemused. "What about him? I don't have to babysit him, do I?"

Dan, coldly, grabbed Blaine by the cuff of his shirt. "I ain't joking, Blaine. That little kid is my baby brother, and if you make him cry, or he gets hurt and its your fault...guess what'll happen."

Blaine, now frightened, gulped. He nodded, and Dan let go. "So...is that 'welcome to the family'?"

"More like 'Don't overstay your welcome.'" Dan said. "Okay, get lost. I've got homework to do. My teacher's giving me shit about not handing it in on time. Trust me, I've heard stories about what really goes into her pigeon hole..."

"Whatever." Blaine said, unpacking his small selection of clothes. "See you at dinner time."

"I can hardly wait. Tell your drugged up mom to hurry up and rehabilitate or whatever, would ya? It'd make our lives a lot easier. My folks don't need you moping around..." Dan said, getting out his school bag.

Blaine glared at Dan, hatefully, but said nothing. He wanted to beat the hell out of this jerk, for daring to mock his mother. But he was too small, too weak next to this boy. Suppressing tears, he went downstairs, and sat on the sofa, sulking.

"Is...everything alright?" Rachael asked, now watching a rather nauseating cartoon with Matthew, who was laughing happily at the animals frolicking onscreen.

"Yeah." Blaine said flatly. At least this house had TV, but he doubted he'd get a chance to watch what he really liked. Maybe The Simpsons, but probably not his cartoons like Transformers and Rocko's Modern Life. Dan probably watched more 'grown-up' stuff that his parents wouldn't let Blaine watch. Sure, he might be able to ask to watch his shows, but Dan would probably get on his case. So he might as well let the baby have his bottle.

"Dan's rather stubborn." Rachael said, shaking her head. "He likes his own space. And he's very protective of Matthew here, isn't he?" Matthew looked up, curious. He didn't quite get what his mother meant, but he nodded anyway. "Don't worry. I'll make sure he behaves himself. Perhaps, if things get really bad, I'll tell his father about his 'stash'..."

Blaine gasped. He saw Rachael's mischievous stare, scared. "You knew?"

"Oh, of course. He's easy to read, my son. Always trying to act tough to impress his friends, but he's a soft one. You should see him and Matthew playing together. Perhaps you should join in with them."

"Nah..." Blaine said. He looked at Matthew, and sighed. This little boy was so oblivious to what was going on. He probably just thought he had a new playmate. The infant pointed at Blaine's face, curious. "Um, what's he pointing at?"

"He looks sad." Matthew said, suddenly.

"Uh..." Blaine said, flustered. He scratched his head, without knowing what to say. This little kid was kind of cute, he thought. A look of pure innocence, from any angle. Yet looking at this boy made Blaine think of his own childhood. I was his age once, huh? When Dad was around...he was probably just as awesome even then...

"He's just tired, sweetie. It's rude to point!" Rachael said. "Now then, Blaine, we'll be having dinner at six. My husband David will be home soon -"

"Daddy!" Matthew said, grinning.

"Yes, his daddy will be home soon. Please be a good boy when he arrives, okay?" Rachael said. "He works so hard at that building site, and the last thing he needs is any stress."

"I got it." Blaine said, anxiously. "So what's for dinner?"

"Fish and chips!" Matthew cheered, happily. Blaine forced a smile. From the smell in the kitchen, he could tell the fish was nothing like the one his mother made. And he'd have to eat his veggies, too.

Please, Mom, get better...I want to go home...

|Dining Room|6:16 pm|

The family, as well as Blaine, sat at a table, with a fresh new cloth over it. The fish in front of them, covered in batter and served with tartare sauce, chunky potato chips and mushy peas, looked scrumptious. Yet Blaine didn't have much appetite, and ate his slowly, compared to Dan who wolfed his down.

"Excuse me? What have I told you about eating too fast?" David Kingsley, the patriarch of the household, said. "For god's sake, eat with your mouth closed! At least our guest knows how to eat properly!"

Blaine looked up, like a deer in headlights. He looked left, and saw Matthew eating a smaller portion, and Rachael, who kept quiet. Dan, however, gave him a murderous stare. Even by trying to avoid attention, he was getting his room mate in trouble.

What the hell do I do? If I ate like him, his dad would get pissed and I'd have to go back to that stupid care home...

"Um, honey, how was work today?" Rachael asked, as she drank some lemonade.

"Tiring." David said, scratching the hair on his chin. "Even with this many men on the job, it's taking forever to get these flats up. Course, once they're ready to occupy they'll be run-down hovels in a month's time. But money is money."

"What's hovel?" Matthew asked.

"Um..." Rachael mumbled. "It means it's not a very nice place."

"And once we've got those done, we're moving onto some new hotel in Saragel. The people running it have no idea what they're doing, though. Cutting corners on everything, just so they can be ready for the holidays. They even told me they wanted it as cheap as possible, so they went for 'some suckers in Kanaloa'. One of these days, I'm gonna..." David stopped himself, noticing his children and wife staring at him. "Uh, never mind. Want my advice, Blaine? Don't be a builder when you grow up. Or you'll spend most of your time chasing after your clients for unpaid bills."

"Unpainted bills?" Matthew asked.

"Um, not quite." Dan said, grinning. "Hey, don't leave your veggies, they're good for you!"

"I don't see you eating yours, son..." David said, sternly. "How will he think they're good if you won't touch them? Well? He's very impressionable at that age."

"I-I was going to eat them, seriously! I just saved the best for last!" Dan said, laughing nervously. Blaine shrugged, and kept eating. He just let this family talk, mostly about David's nightmares at work, Rachael's falling out with her hairdresser, and Dan's slipping grades at school. Blaine, feeling more and more out of place, gave quick answers to any questions. Only for seconds did anyone seem to remember Blaine was even there.

Dad was way cooler...he wouldn't whine about how hard his day had been. He always looked forward to coming home and asking me about school, and he'd give mom a big kiss and thank her for another great dinner...this is so stupid! I don't belong here...maybe there's nowhere I belong anymore.

The night went on similarly, except with even less interest in Blaine. Perhaps Mr and Mrs Kingsley were too nervous to ask much about Blaine's home life, in fear of causing a tantrum. And Dan and Matthew went upstairs to play with the latter's toys, without even looking at their new guest. So Blaine was stuck downstairs, having to listen to the news.

"News just in. In Northern Ireland, the loyalist terrorist group Ulster Freedom Fighters opened fire in a crowded bar in Greysteel. Eight civilians are reported killed, and thirteen wounded. We go live to..."

Blaine was so angry at his situation that he didn't even pay attention to the awful story the newsreader was discussing. He just sat there, glancing at the living room, feeling the envy rise up inside of him. There were tons of stupid paintings on the walls, of girly things like flowers or trees. A bowl of garish wax fruit was perched on a table, in a feeble attempt to look inviting. The lights were tacky chandeliers, that clashed blatantly with the bland wooden tables and chairs.

"Blaine, why don't you go up and see what Daniel and Matthew are doing?" David asked.

Without a response, Blaine got up, and went upstairs. He glanced at the the other bedroom, and saw the two brothers sitting on the floor, playing with a toy steering wheel. Matthew seemed to be having a great time 'driving', making the vrooms with his voice, while Dan was pretending to be a passenger. Blaine thought about going in, but didn't. Instead, he went straight into Dan's room, which was now also his own.

One of the few things he had kept was a copy of Black Lightning, a 'Motus Original' comic book In it, the main character Zack Core drove the eponymous motorcycle to fight back against the corrupt police, and at the end of very issue he and the person he saved drove off, looking for the next victim. In this one, Zack saved an upcoming actress called Cecilia from a rather grisly abduction, and she took up the role as his right hand lady.

Zack's so cool...if I had his motorcycle, I could go anywhere. Maybe over to Saragel, where the nice beach is..wouldn't it be awesome if I could just waltz into Nova Albion and show them who's boss?

He read the the issue from the start again, noticing that he had written his own name proudly on the top. His dad picked it up on the way from work one evening, and he had made sure to keep this one, the best comic he had ever read. Of course, he was one of the few fans in Kanaloa. Most of his classmates preferred DC or Marvel heroes, and while Blaine liked those too, he had a soft spot for Zack Core. As time went by, he heard Matthew being put to bed, and Dan going downstairs. Next, he heard some loud voices.

Jeez, what's Dan done now? What an ass...

More hours passed, until Dan walked in, and without a word, got back to work on his homework. Clearly, he had a lot more to do than he realised, and his father wouldn't have him failing another assignment. Blaine shrugged. As long as he was the lonely, neglected kid here, these foster parents wouldn't get on his case too much. He could just give the woman puppy dog eyes, and she'd let him off.

"Hey, don't you have work to do?" Dan asked, bored.

"Not really..." Blaine said, shrugging.

"Lucky bastard." Dan said, glaring at his maths test sheet. "This shit makes no sense...who around here's going to need this stuff anyway?"

"You sure don't look like a mathematician..." Blaine said, dryly.

"Think you're so cool, don't you?" Dan said, seething. "Look. My dad's got his own business, so I can just go with him after school. But only if I pass these classes. So quit trying to be a smartass."

"Gee, sorry..." Blaine said. Reluctantly, he reached into his schoolbag, and gulped. There was a lot of homework that needed to be done for tomorrow, and it was already about ten in the evening. He was going to be up all night doing this. Quickly, he got to the desk on his side, and started furiously scribbling away. He thought he heard Dan laugh, but when he turned around, he just saw him trying to solve some Pythagoras problems.

Oh man...why did Archie have to leave? He always made learning this stuff easy with his computer... Why did it have to be them...?

By the time he was finally done, it was midnight. Dan had finished as well, breathing a sigh of relief. Blaine, tired, just fell onto his bed, and soon fell into a deep slumber. No one to say 'good night' to him here, either. This place was no home, that was for sure. Just a place to stay.

|November 1st|Dining Room|7:30 am|

The weekend had passed without incident. Yet, Blaine still felt like he was invisible in that house. As polite and dignified as Rachael was, she had a habit of nagging him about the slightest things. To her credit, she did pick out more clothes for him, but opted for ones she thought were nice – rather than the ones he wanted to buy. David, however, was more interested in his own sons, making sure Dan wasn't a bad influence on Matthew.

The weekend had not softened the atmosphere between the two boys. Rather, Dan just simply ordered Blaine to stay out of the way, so he and Matthew could hang out by themselves. For a fleeting moment, Blaine wanted to ask if he could join in. After all, Matthew seemed like a good kid, and it might be fun to see him enjoy his various toys. But then he remembered what Dan had said the day he arrived. About his mother.

That bastard...the minute I can get home, I'm out of here. But I have to watch my step around him...he could beat the crap out of me in seconds.

The family were eating breakfast, which consisted of corn flakes, toast, orange juice and some fried eggs. The radio was on, and the newsreader was rambling on about mostly unimportant news regarding 'exciting' new developments.

"The Hotel Gomaden is coming to Legarte this holiday season! Yes folks, the famous hotel on a boat, normally moored in coastal cities of Japan, is staying in New Motus City for one week! Its owner, Victor, promises that this time, his boat will be the site of a 'fusion' of guests! An enigmatic character, he claims that his vessel is safe from any 'Phantoms', so your 'soul' will be just safe with him. Eccentric he may be, but his hotel boasts a five star restaurant, and the rooms are deluxe!"

"Blaine?" Rachael said. Blaine looked up, expecting another lecture on how he was eating. "I've made you a packed lunch. Egg and cress sandwich, an apple, some pear juice, and a Penguin." Rather than the waddling Antarctic bird, she meant a chocolate biscuit that originated from the United Kingdom. These had recently become popular in New Motus as well.

"Thanks." Blaine said. "You ain't – um, you're not making one for Dan?"

"Nah man, I don't need my mom to make my lunch." Dan said.

"He just gets her to give him money for it..." David said, disapprovingly.

"It just means she doesn't have to do so much in the morning." Dan said, sheepishly. "It's not like your sandwiches suck or anything! H-honest!"

"Suck!" Matthew chirped up.

"Dan, what have we said about the language you use in front of Matthew?" Rachael chided. "Now that we're living here, we have to be more civilised!"

"Sorry..." Dan said, annoyed.

Shortly after this, David drove off to his work, and the boys went off to their school.

|Sunhill High School|8:13 am|

Sunhill, like most of the institutions around the city, was a badly run-down, poorly managed facility. It once had a mural of a sun shining over a hill, but most of that had been covered with graffiti. Mostly vulgar jibes at teachers, such as labeling Mrs Dixon a 'dyke'. The school had just painted over this, leaving ugly white smears over the front door.

"Hey. You're not going to sit with me at lunch, are ya?" Dan asked. "I don't want to have to babysit you in front of my friends."

"I don't need a babysitter, you asshole." Blaine said. "And I don't need to sit near you or your friends."

"Good, then we're cool. And I ain't giving you any lunch money, so you'll just have to throw your sandwich in the trash."

"What? Why not just eat it?" Blaine asked.

"Yeah, you could try that. Some food poisoning before English might get you out of it. Later." Dan said, walking in. Blaine, shrugging, went to find his own class. Another day of tedium to be done with...

After School, 15:30 pm

Dan hadn't been joking. The sandwich, despite looking fresh, tasted absolutely disgusting. Perhaps it was the ingredients Rachael bought. Blaine couldn't even swallow the mouthful he had tasted. Immediately, it went into the bin.

The rest of the day wasn't much better, either. With the knowledge that Blaine was at a foster home, the other kids couldn't help but giggle. Many harsh remarks were made about his mother, such that she was off her head talking to herself wearing a straight jacket. Yet no matter how much bile was spouted by these scumbags, Blaine kept quiet, even trying to focus on his schoolwork.

You'd think they'd feel sorry for me...no one wants to sit near me anymore. I used to be the cool kid here, but now I'm some loser with a bank robber for a dad. And they're saying my mom's foaming at the mouth...but if I get into any more fights, I'll get into big trouble...

Finally, it was time to head home. He didn't see Dan, and he didn't care. They didn't have to go home in a pair. Besides, he'd just be an easy target for Dan's friends. No doubt they had to listen to his nightmare, the ordeal of having to share his bedroom with some little kid.

"Hey Blaine, you looking for your mom? I bet she's enjoying her padded room!" Another boy said, chuckling to himself.

"I heard she hears voices all the time! How about you, Blaine? You ever hear any scary voices in your head? They say it runs in the family!" A thuggish girl said.

"You know what you oughta do?" One other boy said. "Go follow in your dad's footsteps! Except actually rob the damn bank this time!"

That had done it. It had been bad enough listening to them talk trash about his mother. Now they had dared to mock his father to his face. Without warning, his fist went straight into the last boy's face, knocking him straight to the ground.

"Hey, what the hell?"

The voice behind him was Dan. Frightened, with everyone's eyes on him, his mind went wild with what might happen next. Without a moment to lose, he stormed off, ignoring the crowd of voices yelling at him. Tears streamed down Blaine's cheeks, as he bounded down the road.

Dad, I'm sorry! I knew I shouldn't have done that, but...they were making fun of you, Dad! Now I've really let you down...I'll never be like you...without you, I can't stand it...I just want you back, Dad! Even if you're mad at me...

Finally, Blaine couldn't run any further. Panting for breath, he finally slowed down to a walk, and with sweat dripping down his face, mixing with his tears, he reached the beach.

|Kanaloa Beach|15:50 pm|

Blaine's legs ached from all that running, and his shoes had gotten scuffed. Desperate for a rest, he sat on a faded teal bench, overlooking the sandy seas and sparkling seas. It had been so long since he had been there with his dad, splashing him and getting him to dig a moat for his sand castle. And his mother always brought a nice healthy picnic for the three of them. Those were happy times. But they would never come again.

For his father had gone to jail, and shot himself before he could be sentenced. His mother had lost all passion, and because of that stupid teacher reporting her to the authorities, he had been taken into care. He had always been proud of have a great home, unlike most of his friends. But now he was just like them.

He glanced further to his left, and saw some teenagers in ripped jeans on the beach drinking some cider, and talking very loudly about how they were going to have a 'crack' at 'Vanessa Fox'. Blaine whimpered, but looked away. He could look after himself. He didn't need the Kingsley family. They were better off without him, anyway.

"There you are!"

Blaine looked up, in fright. He knew the voice, but did not look up. He glanced at his feet, trembling, and as his eyes watered, the other boy sat down.

"What the hell were you doing back there?" Dan asked. "You think my mom won't find out what ou did? She's going to kill you! And Dad – you know what he's like! How could you be so stupid?!"

"What the hell do you care?" Blaine asked. "If I get expelled from school, I'll just end up back at that care home! Then you won't have to see me ever again!"

"Oh yeah? You'd rather go to that shithole than stay with us? We're too good for you?" Dan asked, defensively.

"No!" Blaine said. "I'm...I'm not part of your family! And I...I never will be! Your dad doesn't even know I'm there most of the time! And your mother's only nice to me because she has to, because those Social Service guys will report her if she's not!"

"You...serious?" Dan said, raising his eyebrow. "Dude. The whole time you've been at my house, has my dad ever said anything nice to me? Nope. You don't want his attention, seriously. Not unless you want him to criticise your clothes, your music...why do you think I hide so much stuff under my bed? I don't need him finding out! And my mom...as bad as her sandwiches are, she doesn't make them unless she cares. Matthew's got that to look forward to..."

"Well, whatever!" Blaine said. "You don't get it...I want to go home! I don't belong with you guys! I'm not a Kingsley! What kind of name is that, anyway? Yeah, I wish my 'drugged up mom' would get better too! I used to have my own room, too! This is never going to work..."

"...Alright. I shouldn't have said that." Dan said. "That guy whose face you smashed him? I gave him a little talking to. If he doesn't want a plastic surgeon, he won't be going near you any time soon. Come on, you don't wanna stay here at night, do ya? Let's get going already!"

"No!" Blaine shouted, as the tears finally came gushing. "Everything was great until now! Dad...he was the best dad ever! So cool, so tough, and he and I always hung out! He was the best...but now he's dead! He tried to rob a bank...and they put him in jail! And then...he shot himself in the head! I heard that from the teachers at school...they were too scared to tell it to my face!"

Dan remained silent. The boy next to him, blubbing his eyes out, had finally dropped his indifferent exterior. Now he was showing what he really was...a lonely boy who had lost everything.

"And Mom...she didn't use to be that way...she always used to cut my hair, so I'd look just like my dad! She was a great mom, you know? She always used to give me a hug when I got home from school...she was always there if I was scared. But...when Dad died, she just stopped caring...we had to sell everything good we ever had! We should be back in that house, the way we were...but now I'm all alone...stuck with your family! I don't belong there...and they don't want me! You can't even stand being in the same room as me!"

The two of them were silent, as Blaine continued to cry. But finally, Dan lifted up Blaine's head, ready to say his piece.

"...Listen up." Dan said, grimly. "Yeah, you think your life sucks right now. But let me tell you something about us. You think we always had a home like that?"

Blaine shook his head. After all, that estate was new. And there weren't many places in Kanaloa like it.

"We were stuck in a crappy old apartment up the road..." Dan said. "My dad was a builder, working all day and night just so we could stay in that slum. I don't know how many times we saw rats and the landlord didn't do shit about them. And the people above, below and next to us were always shouting, or playing music, shit like that. Never got any sleep. I thought we were going to be stuck in that dump forever. The plumbing kept going bad, power cuts every fortnight, and we were lucky if we got to eat every night."

Blaine shuddered. He had never been in a place quite as bad as that, but he had a vague recollection of his father being in a similar situation. Living in Kanaloa was hard, he said, unless you've got family with you. And Blaine didn't have that right now.

"We finally got out of that stinking hole when my dad got a sudden promotion. He's in charge of that building firm now. There's talk of him getting to put up some fancy new houses in Nova Albion, you know. Can you imagine? Nova Fucking Albion...it's the closest he'll get to living like a king. Point is, he didn't just put up with his crappy situation and cry about it. He did something. He worked real hard, and it paid off. And my parents finally got around to having another baby." Dan said, smiling.

"He's a funny little guy..." Blaine said, fondly.

"Yup. You think he doesn't like you? Trust me, he just wants to get to know you. That you're not some scary monster that came from under the bed." Dan said, now amused. "So...come on. I know you think everything's gone wrong. But it doesn't mean it has to stay that way. My dad knew that, and now we're doing okay. If you stick at it, you'll find a place with us. Maybe not forever, but why be miserable the whole time?"

"But, I..." Blaine said.

"If you're going to be sulking around, or crying your eyes out...then that's not going to get anything done. Your mom can't come running to get you, not yet. And you dad, even if he was cool, isn't coming back." Dan said. He held out his hand, managing a smile. "Blaine. Forget all that shit I said before. Screw those rules. If we have to share a room, we might as well try not to kill each other. And it'd be nice to have someone older than two to talk to."

Blaine managed a chuckle. He thought for a moment, and saw the earnest face of the boy next to him. He once was intimidating, but now he looked like someone he could trust. Maybe a friend.

"Well...can I watch my shows on TV sometime?" Blaine asked.

"You worried about that?" Dan said, smirking. "Guess I don't mind. What do you watch, then?"

"Um..." Blaine said, embarrassed. "There's Batman, X-Men, and -"

"I got one word to say to you. Awesome." Dan said, happily. "I think you and I might just hit it off. Just one thing. How many issues of Black Lightning you got?"

"Just one..." Blaine said. "Why? You got more?"

"Yup. Got twelve. But yours is the one that Matthew ruined..." Dan said, smirking. "But I can't stay mad at him. Not when he's giving you that look with those big eyes of his. Still, never thought I'd find another copy. How about it? We'll start collecting together!"

"...Cool!" Blaine said, getting up from the bench. "Come on, I wanna know what happens when Zack meets Kay Belle!"

"I'll show you it when we get home!" Dan said, cheerily. "Just one thing. He gets another upgrade this time, but so does the Black Thunder..."

The two of them went home, flapping their gums over their favourite comics. Dan, even at fourteen, still had a soft spot for the story, but he seemed to prefer the comic's anti-villain Zane, who rode the Dark Thunder. Although they disagreed, the animosity was fleeting. Instead, it became a friendly, yet spirited, discussion over who was cooler. Blaine hadn't had a conversation this fun in a long time, not since days with his father, mother and Archie.

"Guess it's a little late now, but..." Dan said, suddenly anxious. They were just coming up to their house, where no doubt an angry David and a panicked Rachael were waiting by the door.

"Late for what?" Blaine asked.

"Welcome to your new home." Dan said, grinning. The two of them held out their hands, and shook them firmly. Without further delay, they returned home. Something new had stirred in both of their hearts – a bond that would refuse to break.