Title: Can I Help You?

Rating: T

Warnings: Language, Violence

Summary: The flock settles down in NY, but when Kick-Ass and he gang show up, things start getting complicated: identities, relationships, secrets, and yeah... trying to save the world doesn't help much, either.

Feedback: It's always loved and appreciated, guys.

Disclaimer: I own neither characters; I just use them as barbies for my own liking.

Author's Note: This is sort of a filler chapter for anyone confused. If you know both backstories to each series, it might be a little bland for the most part. Sorry. :U

New York pizza – it doesn't get much better than that.

"You guys seriously eat this much regularly?" Dave asked, shock written all over him. I looked at my flock, seeing them stuff their faces with tomato sauce, pepperonis, sausages… basically anything Iggy deemed "edible".

"We actually need more than this," I admitted, and his jaw dropped. "Four boxes isn't enough?" he asked. Gazzy shook his head, amazed how clueless this guy was. I only laughed. "Don't worry – we get this a lot. You're not the only one. Remember the time we went to that fancy-schmancy restaurant, Max? We couldn't even order what we wanted!" Nudge exclaimed. Ah yes, I remember that. That was when we first made the headlines in New York. Good times.

"You're not gonna eat anymore?" Angel asked. Dave took a moment before shaking his head. "I usually eat four or five slices maximum. But this is crazy." Angel could only shrug, then asked, "What about you, Max?"

"I think I'll save some for later. It's gonna be tough on my stomach right now," I said, remembering I needed to have a chat with this guy. "You guys go on ahead, though. It's a Friday night." I smiled at their cheeriness before getting up and dusting myself off, walking outside. Like I hoped, Dave followed in suit. We stood there against the rail for a moment before he spoke up.

"So uh, why the hotel? Aren't you guys going to stay?" he asked. I froze.

I hadn't thought about that. Crap.

"Well you see, the house we had was deemed an 'unfit environment'," I said, using air quotes. "So our parents decided to keep us here since they don't have any other place for us to crash."

"Where are your parents anyway?"

How did I not think of this before? "They're out…" He seemed to want an explanation. "You know," I continued, "on a date. Friday night and all."

"Oh. Yeah I get you," he said, nodding. I held back a sigh; that was close. "Uhm, you know," he started, and I turned to him. He stood up a little straighter, looking away. "Uh, well, my house has an extra room if you'd ever like to crash—You and your family, I mean," he quickly explained, a tint of color on his cheeks. "Oh. Well thanks," I said, looking back at the others in the room. Nothing drastic has happened since I stepped outside. That's good. I looked back at Dave, who was shifting side to side. "Follow me," I said, walking down the hall to the stairs that lead to the front. His footsteps carried on behind me.

"Max, why are we leaving—"

"I need to talk to you," I interrupted, going around the complex to where the dumpsters are. I stopped there and looked around for cameras, people, cars. It was empty. Dave raised an eyebrow when we made eye contact. "Is something wrong?" he asked. I shook my head, walking back and forth in the lot. "This is sort of like the place we met in, right?" I asked, gesturing to the trash, the gravel, the nighttime. He nodded, lips pursed, brows furrowed. I looked down.

"You know, when I first met you I couldn't help but think you were out of your head," I said, walking around him. He frowned, looking away from me. "But then… I found out who you were, that you were a superhero, and then I really thought you were insane."

I stopped walking, planting myself in front of him. I studied his figure; he wasn't buff, but he wasn't weak. He seemed agile though, and prone to accepting hits with ease. "I saw the video," I said after a moment. "You know, the one with you and Big Daddy." He whipped his head towards me in surprise.

"You were afraid, weren't you?" I asked tenderly. "I mean, here you were, an ordinary high school guy, a normal life, and then you get caught up in that. I'd be terrified. But then that girl saved you."

"What are you getting—"

"It's Mindy, right?" I asked. He snapped his mouth shut, but we both knew the answer already. I nodded, crossing my arms. "She was good in combat."

It took him a second, but he eventually nodded in agreement. "It was my fault, though," he said out of nowhere. I raised an eyebrow. He sighed.

"It was my fault… that Big Daddy died. I thought I was going to die just before that, and I asked him for help. He was Mindy's father, and it was my fault he died and she lost him. She doesn't even have a mother to take care of her now, either. The man that had him killed, Frank D'Amico… he was in some weird science experiment shit – Itex or something like that. So that's what she's after now. That's why I haven't fully left being a superhero. It's the least I could do for her…"

His face was expressionless until he noticed mine. "Max?" he asked, but I couldn't answer.

Mindy doesn't have a normal life.

Mindy was parentless, hard as nails, and vengeful. I knew. I could tell.

She was like me. In every way.

We just didn't know it.

"I need to tell you something," I said suddenly, and he jumped slightly, not expecting my voice. "Um, sure," he said, his voice uncertain. I sighed, taking a few breaths before grabbing his arm.

"You need to trust me on this. I don't know what you've seen in your life, being a so-called 'superhero' and all. You may have been through freaky shit, but probably not as freaky as me and my flock."

"Flock?—"

"Listen." He stayed quiet. I scanned his face before asking, "You can keep a secret, right?"

"Well obviously. No one besides you knows I'm Kick-Ass…"

"Whatever. This is a secret on a whole new level. One you can't ever let out. Or they can get you."

"Who can? What are you talking about?"

"Itex." His mind must've been full of questions. I sighed. "Itex. That thing Mindy's going after. I'm a science experiment of theirs." I pointed back at the hotel complex where the others were. "We all are. We're not who you think we are."

"I don't follow… Are you trying to tell me you're not human?"

"Not completely." His eyes widened as he began to understand. "The news article that came out a while back. There were flying kids…"

"Yes." I snapped my wings open to their full length, casting a shadow over us both. "We're the kids everyone's been after for three years."

It was at that moment that the window to our hotel room crashed, and Angel's ear-piercing scream echoed through the air.

A/N: Cliff-hangers. I hate them when reading, but they're hella fun to write. xD