A/N: And now we get back to our heroes who were confronted with a terrible and ugly abomination of nature! Anyway if I don't post every friday like usual just write it down to my exams starting monday (shoot me now). I'll try sticking to me schedule, thanks for reading. Please review if you like or don't. Either way.

"My brothers were stupid and careless, do not expect the same from me. "The thing growled, slobbering. They looked at the two creatures who already lay dead on the floor, pools of blood forming beneath them. Their faces had morphed to somewhere between human and animal, it was what Natasha imagined a werewolf would look like mid-transformation. The hands were big, the fingers elongated with sharp claws that could shred a big man into small pieces fairly quickly. The remaining one looked less human and was enormous in comparison to the others, its canines were obviously growing faster than his mouth could keep up with. "I'm much stronger, I won't be killed so easily." It taunted uncomfortably, as if the words were difficult to pronounce and hurt him.

"Their eyes are strange, too yellow even for an animal." Natasha thought. The creature circled them, observing while staying far enough so he could dodge any ranged attacks if Jay were to try. "This one's smarter." Jay said softly. "And uglier." Joey added, never taking his eyes off of the prowling monstrosity. Joey tightened his grip on the hammer and waited patiently for the right time, or that's what Michael thought he was doing. "Hammer time you rat bastard!" Joey shouted as he charged, it seemed Michael had been mistaken. Joey was incredibly fast for someone using such a large weapon, reaching the creature in a moment. Unfortunately their enemy was just as fast, but not burdened. It ducked and a stalagmite was blown to bits instead of its skull, Joey however quickly connected his knee to its snout. The creature seemed surprised, even if it was only for a moment and it countered by biting at the meister.

"Too slow!" Joey yelled, taunting the thing while he flipped backwards out of reach from the sharp teeth using Michael as a handhold. Natasha attacked while the creature was still occupied. It sensed her approach and could avoid its head being cut off but not its shoulder from receiving a deep cut. It swung backwards with its huge arm, hitting the reaper in the chest and sending her flying. Darkstar fell out of her hands as she flew farther, hitting the wall of the cavern. Her vision erupted into a sea of black dots as her head connected with the limestone. The sensing an opportunity to eliminate one of his enemies, the monster charged at Natasha. She was too dazed to defend herself. Darkstar, back in human form, ran to protect his meister but knew he was too far behind the running nightmare that would reach her first. Joey was also running to intercept the attack but even with his speed he wouldn't get there in time, the monster too fast and Natasha too far.

Natasha screamed as the claws ripped flesh and broke ribs. Natasha scream was nothing compared to Christie's though as she watched in horror while the blood of the boy she loved soaked the cavern floor. Jay was oddly silent as he saw his flesh part, it probably would have excited him if it didn't hurt so much. He quickly used their proximity to his advantage, shooting his wavelength into the monsters head. It yelped in pain before they both fell to the ground, unconscious. Christie ran to Jay, Darkstar to Natasha and Joey to their enemy. They heard a sickening crunch as the hammer connected, pounding the bones to dust and crushing cartilage.

As the body started unraveling, the two that had been killed earlier did the same. "That's strange, why are their souls only being released now?" Michael asked no one in particular, not that anyone was really listening. Natasha looked up just in time to see her enemy's corpse before it disappeared but something was different. Maybe she only imagined it but she could have sworn those eyes had been a bright yellow, not jet black. Before she could think of it further she was brought back to reality by a sharp pain in her chest and Christie's sobs. Her own pain was forgotten and she paled at the sight of the huge gouge marks the claws had left, they went down diagonally from Jay's left eye to the bottom right of his rib cage. He was losing a lot of blood. "Sis you okay? How's Jay, Christie?" Darkstar asked the two girls.

Natasha merely nodded her response but Christie was frantic. "His breathing's shallow, oh my Death he's lost so much blood." She said through the tears. "I'll take him with Beelzebub, he needs to get to a hospital." Natasha said, wincing slightly as she moved away from the wall. "No, you can barely move yourself." Joey and Darkstar said together. "Ignoring the weird mind reading, he's lost too much blood already and none of you can use Beelzebub, I HAVE to do it." She replied obstinately as she conjured her family skateboard. "I said NO." Darkstar commanded, grabbing the board. "Bro I have to! He's like this because of me! Please just let me do this!" She yelled and a few sobs escaped as her guilt pressed down on her. She painfully pushed past Darkstar and picked Jay up. Climbing on the board ,she started towards the exit. "Be careful!" Darkstar said, grabbing her shoulder and giving her a worried look. He still didn't think this was a good idea. Natasha nodded and sped off. "Well don't just stand there, grab a soul so we can head back!" He said, turning back to the rest of the group.

"Well that was a successful test, I'm pleased." The tall woman said, watching the teenagers through the eyes of the bee she had sent in after them. She stood up and brushed some leaves off of her clothes, the black and yellow striped material glistening brightly in the sunlight. "I can control them now without inhibiting their fighting ability... their souls were connected as well. If only they had been mentally connected, those kids would probably have died down there." She continued saying. "I'm sure you of all people can figure it out...Lady bee-anca." The skinny man said, bowing low. "I know." she said laughing, her bright yellow eyes shining brightly.

"How is he!?" Christie shouted as she burst through the white double doors, causing the hospital waiting room to fall silent. "We're here to see two patients, Jay Stein and Natasha Grim." Michael said, seeing as Christie and Darkstar looked ready to break down the hospital in search of their partners. "I'm over here guys, I'll take you to Jay's room." Natasha said, coming through a door to their left. She was sitting next to his bed when she lightly felt Darkstar's soul before hearing the banging door and Christie yelling. She had bandages on a few places and some cuts on her face. She had broken at least three ribs and received a mild concussion, luckily Reapers heal fast so she would be fine in a week or two. They quickly followed her down the hall, Joey had gone in search of a bathroom somewhere and Christie was fidgety. Amazingly they found Jay awake, reading the medical report on his injuries which HAD been securely locked in a cabinet on the wall. "I would have preferred a different, stronger painkiller. . ." He muttered, not seeing them standing in the doorway. Next moment he was being strangled in a hug by a very stressed out and happy Christie, who then started inspecting his face and limbs.

"Hey babe relax I'm fine!" Jay said, gasping for air. "I was so worried! You were losing so much. . .oh Death, Jay. . .your face. . ." Christie said, putting her hand over her mouth and tears springing into her eyes once again. "I think they make me look tough." Jay said, chuckling as he touched the four lines of stitches running down his face. "They were shallow enough that only a few stitches were necessary, my chest is another story altogether though." He added, showing the sea of already blood stained bandages covering his chest and neck. "Oh, looks like I'll need my fourth change of dressings in about. . .15 minutes." He said, checking the report. "Hey come on guys, who died?" He asked his silent friends. Michael and Darkstar had only been waiting for Christie and took this as their invitation to start talking to their apparently morphine tolerant friend, Natasha remained back. A few minutes passed before she said anything. "I'm sorry. . ." She whispered quietly, her head hanging low and a tear dropping from her cheek. "You say something Reapergirl?" Jay asked jokingly as he thought of all their stupid fighting the past few days. "You're in here because of me. . .I'm so sorry Jay." She said a bit louder and the tears started flowing freely.

"Hey hey woah stop right there, you didn't ask me to jump in front of that thing. That was my decision, not my best one I suppose but I don't regret it haha. I wanted to protect my friend and I would appreciate it if she would say thanks instead of sorry." He replied in a way that was both serious and full of humor. "Hehe. . .thanks Jay." She came over and very gently hugged him so as not to disturb his wounds. "Can you guys turn off the lights and turn around while I get dressed? I hate these stupid gowns." He said after she stepped away. They obliged and turned away so he could slowly struggle into some clothes. No one heard the door open as Joey came in and Jay couldn't see him either, his head stuck in the shirt he was wrestling with.

Joey couldn't see a thing, so when the stitched up face of Jay suddenly appeared in front of his own he let loose the second somewhat girly scream of the day. This was closely followed with a dull metallic clang and a thud, Joey had grabbed a bedpan and whacked the unsuspecting Jay with it. This made them all spin around and they were shocked at the sight. Jay was out cold on the floor and Joey was standing with the bedpan, horrified as he realized what he had done. "Uh oh. . ." He said.

Needless to say Christie made sure that Jay wasn't the only one occupying a hospital bed that night.

Jay Stein's notes:

Appearances:

Michael Cleaver- Tall, somewhat broad male with short-cropped mouse-ish hair and gray eyes. Biggest muscle mass in the group. The consensus is neutral, that he cannot be classified as attractive or unattractive. Personal opinion leans to unattractive.

Michael dresses quite normally, the only thing that stands out is his love for funny and sometimes weird t-shirt designs. That's very mean by the way, he's not...unattractive, maybe facially challenged would be better? (Just kidding if you ever read this Cleaver, you really aren't that bad hehe)