Hey, so I noticed people are still giving this story some interest. Sorry I haven't been on in a while, It's just been a little crazy. Hope you can forgive the hiatus, but I will try to actually finish this story and give it a satisfying ending.

Thanks for putting up with me.

Enjoy.

"Computer," the boy in the lab coat flopped into his chair, "Let's go over some current events, shall we? Everything after the declaration."

"Yes, Dexter," the virtual voice responded. "After the declaration was made, the King of England didn't respond very well."

"Wait. Computer."

"He was apparently so angered by the letter, he never bothered to open it. Instead, tearing it to shreds and throwing it in the-"

"Computer!" Dexter declared, "You know very well what I mean."

"You did design me with a sense of humor," the AI happily retorted.

"And I regret it every day," Dexter sighed. "Recall events after the declaration of war made by Captain Steven Rogers."

"Of course," Computer pulled up visual aids on her screen, "After Captain America publicly defied the Super Human Registration Act, he went into hiding. He, and a fair number of other heroes, effectively avoided the law, while defending innocent people and stopping crimes anyway. As we had joined them, we know that they have been using abandoned Hydra bases for hideouts, and scavenging the technology left behind. Several soldiers and mercenaries even joined the Captain, calling themselves White Stars.

"Meanwhile, on the other end of the spectrum," Computer continued, "SHIELD immediately set to work arresting superhumans who didn't sign the papers given. A think tank was formed, consisting of Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic), Hank Pym (Antman, Giantman, etc.), and, of course, Tony Stark. Between the three of them, they started to brainstorm ideas for how to handle future problems in the world. Such as the superhuman facility known as Prison 42 (Located in the Negative Zone). They reformed the Thunderbolts, so that they could focus on the hero community and not worry about criminals getting away scot free. This also lead to the subjugation of those super powered criminals: implanting control nanites in their systems and using them like attack dogs."

Dexter nodded, "This much, I remember."

He also recalled how he summoned his group of friends to Orchid Bay. The death of Juniper Lee… that seemed to drive the wedge between him and this whole ordeal. Too much has been lost already. It needed to end.

"After some months of infighting," she continued. "You and a handful of the younger heroes splintered off from both the Registration Forces and the Resistance."

"For the good it did," Dexter rubbed his eyes. "Give me a count of who stands with us, and who…we've lost already."

"We have the ghost teen: Danny Phantom. The demigod heroes from Camp Half-Blood: Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase, and Tyson. We have Maximum Ride, and her Flock. We have the Powerpuff Girls. We have Mystery Twins: Dipper and Mabel Pines. We have the Kane family from the House of Life. Miss Katniss Everdeen, from an alternate future (apparently). Three of the self-proclaimed Kids Next Door."

"Enough, Computer," Dexter waved it off. "Just give me the other list already."

"…"

"Computer!"

"Benjamin Tennyson: Missing. Lucina: Missing. Magnus Chase: Missing. Hoagie P. Gilligan Jr.: Missing. Abigail Lincoln: Missing. No indication of death for any of the listed heroes."

Dexter sighed, removing his glasses to rub his eyes.

"Computer," he said, "I fear we may be getting desperate."

The machine said nothing.

"Call the Eds." He ordered. "Tell them I need another delivery made."

"Jawbreakers again, Dexter?"

"Don't judge me," he sighed. "I haven't had any candy since…"

He groaned, leaning back in his seat. "Tell them to bring the usual scrap too. I need new tinkering materials."

"Dexter!" Blossom called out from the doorway. Making him jump. She lowered her voice as she stomped over to him, but only by a few octaves. "You're supposed to be in bed!"

"I'm fine," he argued. "I've never felt better-"

He'd probably sound more convincing if his arm wasn't in a sling and his leg in a cast. He hobbled his way in here on a crutch. Blossom glared down at him with her hands on her hips.

"You will lie down," she leaned over him, "in that medical bed, and sleep for a full eight hours. Or I will break your arms, and your legs until you actually rest!"

"…That seems a bit-"

"I know!" she agreed, "It's ridiculous the lengths I have to go to, to get you to rest!"

She then sighed. "You've been working all week and haven't let your body rest. You're just going to break again."

"I can't…" Dexter shook his head. "just sit here while my friends are missing. We're in a war that the heroes aren't even aware of, and we're losing. We lost some of our biggest heavy hitters, and we're no closer to figuring out Mandark's location and plan."

"We took down Omega and Darkstar," Blossom assure him. "And Brick took six or seven bolts of lightning to the chest, so he's probably licking his wounds somewhere."

"For all the good it's done," Dexter shook his head again. "Five to three. We need information."

Blossom looked to the computer screen before returning to Dexter.

"Don't you have files from the Baxter building on here?" she wondered. "Maybe that one thing can help."

"Wait, what?" Dexter looked at her. "What thing-? How did you even-?"

He snapped to the computer screen. "Did you… go through my computer files?!"

She held her hands up. "I asked for permission!"

"Not from me!"

"Apologies, Dexter," the Computer responded, "I thought sharing information would be helpful to your search. As other perspectives would provide insight-"

Dexter fell back into his chair, groaning in annoyance.

"Fine, fine," he waved it off. "Computer, pull up files we hacked from the Baxter Building."

Why hide the fact, anymore? Dexter would have to assume Blossom was a complete fool for not figuring it out. His only saving grace is that Mr. Fantastic is too busy with his family and enforcing the new law to deal with a rebel hacker. Dexter was nice enough to close the door behind him (so to speak) and seal the hole in his system.

"What 'thing' were you referring to?" he asked the superhero.

"It was… there," she pointed to one of the files. "A timeline?"

"Right…" the boy genius remembered. "The equation…"

He sighed. "Reed Richards came up with a mathematical equation at the start of all of this. He new a Resistance would form up to fight the Registration act, so he tried to prepare for worst case scenarios. Each action they took up was based on this equation. Including the subjugation and manipulation of villains as mercenaries."

"And you never put stock into it because…?"

"Because it predicts bigger events, and…" Dexter sighed, "I've been having a hard time actually…utilizing the equation to my needs. Compared to Dr. Richards…"

He threw his arm up.

"Actually, Dexter," the Computer intervened, "While you were busy, I've been running the calculations in the background, piece by piece. I have completed only one of the simulated futures."

"Really?" Dexter sat up in his chair. "Then show me!"

He reached for the goggles set aside on the console.

"Dex," Blossom put her hand on his shoulder. "Maybe this isn't such a good-"

"No!" He said, "I need to see this, Blossom."

"You can't just-"

"This is my lab and I will do what I damn well please, woman!" he snapped at her. The harsh words made her recoil.

He reached for the goggles, his bones aching. He had been too patient. He has been lazy in these past few years. He had failed his family and the world at large. He's had enough of all of this.

It needs to end! And this is how he will do it!

The goggles began their simulation.

And it horrified him.

The United States no longer exists. The whole country is split by the Divide at the center. The east is run by President Stark, the Ironman himself. The country is now called the Iron, and became more authoritarian. Every right is called into question. The west end of the Divide is called the Blue, run by General Rogers. It's the wild west, with cities governing themselves and the only sign of structure was a gang of Punishers, and two rules. "Hurt no one" and "Help out when you can." Heroes of the Iron are trained and technologically enhanced. Heroes of the Blue are more experienced- broken, traumatized, and shells of their former selves- but experienced. Worse yet was the cause for such changes in leadership. When Dexter turned his gaze to the capital…

A coup. A failed, supervillain coup.

So much death and destruction, because two people can't see eye to eye? All of this, and he hasn't even gotten to his friends. The company he keeps. And there was even… something else. Some kind of… darkness lurking at the corners of his vision.

With a scream, he tore off the headset and threw them aside. Huffing in rising panic. He was shocked to find that Blossom was still there, next to him. She grabbed him by his shoulders to steady him.

"What happened!?" She demanded.

"Dexter."

The two spun around to look at the two newcomers at the door. Dipper and Nudge. They apparently have been dating recently. Nudge was the one who spoke but seemed (for once) at a loss for words. Her shorter companion spoke up for her.

"Is this a bad time?" he wondered.

"No," Dexter huffed, rubbing his eyes under his glasses. "What is it?"

"We seem to be running low on… ah, preservatives," Dipper negotiated.

"Sorry," Nudge waved apologetically. Dexter forgot about the Flock's respective metabolisms.

"We were wondering if we could go get some supplies and… you know, make a family dinner, kind of deal."

Dexter thought about it. Suddenly, he had a change of heart.

"You know," he said, "That's not a bad idea."

It took some time to prepare, spending most of the day on groceries alone. Fortunately, there were several hands in the kitchen.

The lab had a makeshift kitchen that Dexter hardly ever used before today. Buttercup had diced up the last of the onions and threw them into the pot. Dexter stood by and stirred it.

"Gotta admit," Buttercup commented as the boy worked. "Never pegged you for the cooking type."

"My sister forced me to get a hobby that didn't include science," he explained. "My other options were dance and guitar. This seemed the closest to chemistry as I could get without her complaining, so…"

"Well," she chuckled, "It smells great."

"Didn't think you were a cook either," he admitted, "Being 'the toughest fighter.'"

"Well," the green clad girl shrugged, "Blossom burned everything. Even water."

"Hey!" her sister called form the other room.

"And Bubbles has a sweet tooth and very little self-control. I stepped up and help the Professor with dinner every now and then."

"Lasagna's almost done," Iggy, another member of Max's flock, called from the oven. "How's the Tex-Mex coming along?"

"Enchiladas are coming along nicely!" Annabeth called out.

"We're almost ready to switch out the trays!" Sadie called next to her.

"Don't forget the cheesy rolls!" The Gasman, Iggy's brother in crime, stuck his head into the room.

"Or the Empanadas!" Tyson, Percy's half-brother, also added.

"Both of you, out!" Buttercup whipped a wooden spoon in their direction. "I hear demands being made, but no tables being set! Get gone!"

The two disappeared in a fit of giggles.

"You too," she stepped in front of Dexter, effectively shoving him out of the way. He almost fell over on his crutch. "No cripples in the kitchen."

"Harsh, Powerpuff," he retaliated.

"Hey, you have a job too," she chastised. "You need to apologize to my sister."

Dexter froze and the others pretended to be busy with the meals. An obscene amount of people meant an obscene amount of food. Especially when the good chunk of them are starving mutants and demigods.

"She is bossy," Buttercup continued. "but that's how she cares. She doesn't feel like she's contributing unless she has a hand on some wheel somewhere. She's probably organizing the tables in the other room right now, but she means well. She's also smarter than you think and, while she might not get everything your working on, she can probably keep up with you. Give her a chance."

Dexter thought the words over. It didn't escape his notice that the girls across the room were sneaking glances at him.

"Okay," he agreed. "I'll go do that."

He hobbled out of the kitchen and over to the dining room. He managed to pull Blossom aside and get her alone.

"I wanted to apologize," Dexter told her. "I was out of line when I snapped earlier. I've never really been able to get a lid on my temper and it's done more to isolate me more than anything. Which… fed into my importance of privacy, which turns back into anger and… It's a vicious cycle. And I ran you over with it. I'm sorry."

Blossom had her arms crossed and bit her lip. It took her a moment to speak.

"I'm sorry too," she suddenly said, "I know I'm… not the best person to get along with. I'm nosey, I'm bossy… I'm selfish…"

The two looked at each other and Dexter couldn't help but let out a little laugh.

"Listen to us," he said, with a smile, "We're our own worst enemies."

"No kidding," Blossom agreed. She got a warm look on her face, all the sudden. "You have a nice smile."

"Oh, uh," Dexter felt his cheeks heat up. "You have… very appealing facial features as well."

Blossom blinked and turned her head in a blush. The moment was cut short when Buttercup flew into the room with the finished stew.

"Soups on!" she called out. "Time to sit down and shut up! The other courses are on their way!"

The two redheads hurried to their seats and sat down at opposite sides of the table; sitting across from each other.

Dexter looked around him, at all the kids that surrounded him. Carter, Walt, and Zia were getting along with both Dipper and Mabel, discussing magic. Percy, Tyson, and Danny were joking around with Iggy and Gazzy. Annabeth was giving tips on sword fighting to Fang. Nigel was talking to Angel about a kid's revolution against adults. Kookie was chatting up a storm with Bubbles and Nudge. Wallaby was silently enjoying the chaos next to Katniss. If they were having a conversation, it was being said in shorter and shorter sentences.

Dexter couldn't help but smile. So many crazy characters in one room. Almost none of them have anything in common, and yet…

Here they are, sharing a meal together.

He decided that he needed this. This moment to rest. This moment to appreciate the friends he has around him.

And now he was more determined than ever to find the friends that aren't here with them.