Welllllll...I did not think this was gonna happen.

IMPORTANT FOR THE STORY: The argument is mostly based on the new trailer. Henry is in the late parts of 17 in this, and I can't remember how old he was canonical when Piper found out he is Kid Danger, so in this she already knows. Some slight spoilers for the ep Hour of Power btw.

Rant lol: I feel like everyone is OOC and that it's not as good as it could be, but I'm still posting it because I said I would and the finale is coming out soon and I NEED TO GET THIS OUTTTTT

Also I meant to finish the Mini Ninjas story, but that's also on the back burner because the present tense messed me up,,, ANYWAY hope you enjoy!

Friday, November 4th

Ooo§ooO

It was supposed to be a good day.

Henry was just supposed to finish up school for the week and head to work with Charlotte and Jasper. Ray had wanted to watch some movies with everyone (probably binge-watch the Galaxy War series, knowing him. The new movie was coming out soon, and they all had to recap.) and Piper was supposed to be coming along later to join them.

It was supposed to be simple. Keyword supposed.

(Afterwards, as Henry crawls into his bed at 3 in the morning, he'll realize it was the complete opposite.

No, he does not crawl into bed at 3 am because he was up watching Galaxy Wars. God, did he wish it was because of that.)

It was a normal beginning. He arrived with Jasper and Charlotte to the Man Cave right after school, the three of them throwing their backpacks on the couch after they stepped out of the ever-broken elevator.

"Man, I'm so glad for the weekend," Jasper groaned dramatically, sliding lazily into the couch. Charlotte rolled her eyes, but a fond and somewhat-annoyed smile settled on her face.

"Maybe if you had actually studied for that science test, it would've been less long and stressful." She told him, and Henry joined Jasper's sound of disgust.

"I do not see what you are complaining about. Science is fun!" Schwoz chirped in as he walked into the room from the back and waved at them excitedly.

Henry carefully eyed the blaster in his other hand. He's learned his lesson one time too many.

"How was school?" Schwoz asked, and Henry, although still eyeing the weapon, felt a little warm knowing that he cared.

"Lame," Henry and Jasper said at the same time as Charlotte's "Okay."

"'Okay,'" Schwoz scoffed, already heading to the rooms behind the tubes to do who-knows-what. "Well, science is not lame."

Jasper snickered, "Says the scientist."

"I heard that!"

The three of them laughed, and Charlotte headed over to the computers.

"Let's see what the news has to say tonight," she said, turning on the channel. They were talking about the meaning of crickets when Ray trotted in, grinning widely.

"The new Galaxy Wars trailer is out!" He exclaimed, jumping up and down and kicking the air.

Henry and Jasper glanced at each other, grinning madly before they joined his little dance while Charlotte whooped. Which is how Schwoz walked back into the room to see, blaster mysteriously absent.

"The trailer?" He asked, which made Ray nod his head enthusiastically, "Well, what are we waiting for! Let's watch it!"

Waves of cheer wove through the Man Cave as they all huddled onto the couch together and Schwoz lowered the TV above the elevator, pulling up the trailer, "3...2...1!"

It was your average action movie trailer - fast-paced and full of drama. There was only one piece that truly caught Henry's eye; and apparently, it didn't just catch his attention.

There were three guys; two villains and one masked hero, all pointing lasers at each other. The two villains seemed to realize something was different from the hero from the last movie.

"You're...You're…?"

"That's right."

They all gaped at the screen in front of them, speechless at the huge plot twist that was revealed. They knew that voice, and that...that was not the original hero's voice.

That voice was the hero's best friend.

"But...That...that's impossible! You...You're dead!"

"Who says I'm the same guy? Now, prepare to get knocked," they paused and turned to almost face the camera, "out of this world."

The bad guys stood unmoving, obviously star-struck before getting punched in the face. They groaned as they fell to the floor, and the scene soon changed to a random space fight.

"That last part'll be what happens when you become Captain Man," Ray laughed over the volume of the trailer, seemingly out of his momentary shock and elbowed his ribs. Henry chuckled, but his blood froze in his body once the sentence fully settled, the rest of the trailer became background noise as he processed it.

"When I become Captain Man?" he echoed, ignoring Charlotte and Jasper's pointed looks; he knows they're likely thinking of that particular 'spill-the-tea' night after the whole incident with Drex.

It was two weeks after Drex had made his scene.

Henry was barely sleeping at night, and he could tell Jasper wasn't sleeping well either if the bags under his eyes and how jumpy he had become were any indication.

It had been Charlotte's idea. She said she had been tired of them running themselves into the ground and being, frankly, stupid.

Honestly, he was sure she wasn't doing well either, but she refused to confirm it.

Besides, it wasn't the first time they had a sleepover. They've done it a couple times even before Henry had become Kid Danger - they just weren't as troubling.

(Henry now realizes they were becoming more frequent as time moved on, which was a little scary. What had once been a once in a while thing became monthly, which soon became weekly, and he doesn't recall ever having as many nightmares as he does now.)

This certain night, the three of them were all sitting on Henry's bed, going in a circle as they announced their problems. A little routine that quickly became natural.

"Drex scared me like nothing else," Jasper had said, rubbing his eyes with the hand Charlotte wasn't holding. "I almost thought- if he found out I was lying-"

He shook his head violently, and Henry wrapped his arms around him as he started to cry.

"I know, buddy," he said. "Drex is scary. But he isn't going to hurt you."

They waited until he calmed down, Henry holding him and Charlotte rubbing his back silently.

"Drex scared me too," Henry told them, but mostly because he thought Jasper deserved to hear his too. "And I think...I don't think I can pair up with him."

Charlotte frowned, "Henry..."

"I can't do this job forever," he had gone on, "and I don't know if I could. I know I'll never be as good as Drex, but I know I'm good enough."

Both Charlotte and Jasper looked somewhat relieved.

"There's something else, isn't there?" Jasper murmured into his shoulder, still wrapped in an embrace. Henry winced, closing his eyes.

"Ray had said when I had first become Kid Danger that someday I might be Captain Man. But now, after Drex, after all those countless criminals, I don't...I don't think I want that anymore."

They had both looked beyond shocked, mouths opened wide enough to catch flies, and Henry wanted to laugh at their expressions.

"We'll figure it out," Jasper had said confidently once he regained his composure, snuggling into his chest even more if that was possible.

"And we'll support whatever decision you make," Charlotte finished, smiling tiredly.

And later, while none of them would admit it, they had had a better sleep that night than the previous two weeks combined.

He had been 16 that night. Nearly two years later, and he's surprised they had remembered. It's not like the conversation ever came up again.

They were both gesturing their hands wildly at him, and once Henry shook himself out of the flashback, he knew there was no escaping this.

"Hey, uh, Ray?" Henry started casually, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Yeah, Kid? What's up?" Ray didn't turn to look at him, but it was little comfort.

"Listen...I'm sorry, but…"

Come on, say it!

Ray did turn around after this, an eyebrow raised in concern.

"I don't...I don't want to be Captain Man." He finally finished, his stomach flipping violently.

Ray froze on the spot, staring at him with wide eyes. Schwoz paused the trailer, and the entire room was so silent you could hear a pin drop, each second passing making the atmosphere that much tenser.

Charlotte cleared her throat after the too-long silence, probably hoping to spark a conversation, "Ray-"

"Why don't you two go home?" He cut off, not taking his eyes off Henry. A feeling of dread washed over him, and them leaving was the last thing he wanted. They both didn't move, clearly unsure of what to do, and Ray pushed his lips together.

Taking this as their cue, Charlotte placed her hand on his shoulder as Jasper moved as fast as a sloth to the elevator.

"Call us," she whispered, and soon they were both gone, leaving a very quiet Schwoz still sitting on the couch. Ray immediately stood and started pacing as he began his rant.

"The oath, Henry. You took that oath. You had said-"

Oh hell no. He's going to stop Ray right there.

He jumped up so he was face-to-face with Ray. "I was thirteen! I'm seventeen now, and the oath was for Kid Danger."

"Oh, I get it."

His voice was so clear and positive, and Henry just wanted to get it over with, "Get what?"

"Well, you're obviously scared of being stuck here in Swellview with me!"

That was a slap to the face.

Ray was his idol- He was his hero. He was one his best friends!

"No-" he tried to say, desperate to change where this was headed, but Ray seemed to have other ideas.

"Really? Then what is it, Kid? Because that's what it sounds like!" Ray sounded so so angry, his eyebrows drawn together with his lips curled down, and it hurt knowing he was the one causing this pure and raw rage.

"Ray, please-"

"Perhaps we should all try to calm down," Schwoz interrupted, looking at Ray as if he would explode. Ray ignored him and pointed a finger at Henry.

"Or, maybe, you don't want this job anymore? Hm? You're done living this life?"

Henry remembered reading somewhere that anger was a secondary emotion to being upset or hurt, but he banished that thought as he tried to gain control of the situation.

"It's not that!"

"Tell me then!" The desperation in Ray's voice threw him off, and he paused.

"I…"

Of all the times to hesitate, his brain chose now. He made a frustrated noise as he grabbed his hair, because he had so many broken sentences and explanations but he couldn't form them in a single straight paragraph and the way Ray was staring at him made him feel as if he had been hit by a brick and he can't-

Ray scoffed at him, and he was unknowingly stomping on Henry's heart. "If you don't want the job," Ray practically spat at his feet, "then you might as well leave. Don't bother wasting any more of my time as you have been for the past couple of years."

His hurt was quickly replaced by anger that rippled through his whole body like a pebble thrown in water, and his next words slipped out before he could think.

"You wouldn't care either way, would you?"

"That's not-" Ray tried to say, but Henry kept going.

"After everything, you wouldn't care if I stayed or walked through those doors," he continued, hating the burning in his eyes. "You'd find another sidekick to replace me. You already did that with Drex, yeah?"

Please tell me differently. Please tell me you need me. Please tell me you appreciate and care for me, just as much as I do you.

Please please please-

Ray narrowed his eyes. "At least Drex knew how to fight."

Henry could feel his throat tightening as his world shattered around him.

Ray...Ray didn't need him. Why should he? He's Captain freaking Man. And Henry knew he had trouble fighting sometimes. He knew he was still learning.

He was trying. He thought Ray would see that.

He was wrong. He was so wrong .

He stared down at his wrist before slipping his watch off. He steeled his face and tossed it over to Schwoz, who looked terrified as he fumbled for it.

"Seems you don't need me after all, Ray. Sorry I let you down."

He stepped into the elevator and didn't stop as the doors closed. He didn't hesitate to walk out the doors to Junk 'N Stuff, nor did he pause anytime during his walk home.

He felt...numb.

It didn't truly click in about what just happened until he got home. Piper was half-way down the stairs when he arrived, stumbling through the door like he was drunk.

"Hey, I was just on my- Henry?"

She looked concerned, and the laugh that escaped his lips turned into a sob midway.

"I'm not Kid Danger anymore."

"Wait, what?" She all but squealed, and he tucked his arms into himself defensively.

"I…I quit."

"Why?"

"He wanted me to be Captain Man. I can't be Captain Man, Pipes."

She gaped at him before rushing over, grabbing him gently by the arm and dragging him over to the couch. She pushed him down, one of her nicer pushes (trust him, she's pushed him a lot,) and sat across from him.

"Ok, why not?" she asked gently and Henry knew she was concerned.

Kid Danger may have been her idol, but Henry Hart will always be her brother.

"I knew I couldn't be Kid Danger my whole life," he explained, playing with his hands. How ironic that he could find the words now. "I have a future somewhere, but I was never going to just...leave. Ray...I thought he would understand." He buried his head in his hands, shoulders shaking violently.

"After everything, I thought he would understand."

"I'm sorry," she told him, placing a hand on his back. "I'll call Charlotte and Jasper?"

"Yeah," he muttered, closing his eyes with a sigh, "Thanks."

She nodded and headed for the kitchen, leaving Henry to himself. He didn't pay attention to the calls or when they ended, keeping his eyes closed as he zoned out, and finally being snapped out of his state only by Piper dangling her keys in front of his face a while later.

(She may have been accessing the Man Cave cameras, which Schwoz had given to her when she joined the team, after the calls to find out what had really happened. You can't blame her either; as much as she loved her brother, he could be very vague sometimes.)

"We're all going for a drive," Piper smiled innocently, and Henry furrowed his eyebrows, "C'mon. We need to pick up Charlotte and Jasper first."

"Where?"

"You'll see." And he could tell by the look in her eyes that there wouldn't be any arguments.

"Fine."

One terrifying ten minute drive later…

Ooo§ooO

"Car!" Charlotte, Jasper, and Henry screamed at the same time, and Piper swerved the wheel to avoid it. She hit the brakes roughly, throwing everyone forward with various noises of surprise.

Really, she didn't know why people still say she's a bad driver. She's gotten better and has a licence, after all.

Piper swiftly pulled up to the curve beside their destination - Junk 'N Stuff - and she could hear Henry hiss in the passenger seat.

"In and out," Jasper promised him as he opened the back door and climbed out, Charlotte following right behind him. Piper got out of the car as Charlotte turned to Henry.

"You don't have to come down. We'll be less than five minutes."

He still looked reluctant but followed them in nonetheless, stopping at the counter.

"I shouldn't," he told them quietly, looking everywhere but at them, and Piper felt a new wave of anger.

Here's a hint: it wasn't at Henry.

"Sure," Charlotte said gently, "We'll be right up."

He nodded and the three of them left towards the elevator.

"I'm gonna slap a man. Hard." Charlotte told her once they were inside, and Piper grinned viciously.

The short ride down couldn't have felt longer, and her patience was already starting to wear out when they reached the Man Cave. Schwoz was at the computers, tinkering away with one thing or another with Ray standing beside him.

"Ray," Piper greeted nonchalantly, trying to figure out their best course of action.

Schwoz smiled and waved at them, but Ray only tilted his head as he crossed his arms. Jasper waved back to Schwoz, smiling sadly.

"What're you doing here?" Ray asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Good question."

They had discussed what to do on the phone when Piper had called them. It was a hard decision, but they had all agreed.

Jasper stepped forward, his hands clenched in fists. His face had a mixture of serious anger, and even Piper had to admit it unnerved her to see that expression on his face, "We quit."

"What?"

Funny that he sounded so surprised, in Piper's opinion. He had no right to sound that surprised.

"We. Don't. Work. For. You. Anymore." Jasper said slowly, each word punctuated with a pointed finger.

"If you can't respect Henry's wishes, or ours, you don't give us any reason to respect you," Charlotte explained further, almost snarling. "We were here for him. Not you."

Ray's eyes snapped between the three of them, surprise and hurt still stark across his face. "All three of you?"

They nodded, and his face became stony. "Fine. Go. See if I care."

They did just that, and Piper took satisfaction in the fact that none of them looked back.

They met Henry upstairs, who was apparently watching the exchange from the cameras behind the counter.

"Guys-" he started, but Jasper interrupted him.

"You matter more than this job."

And god, Henry's looked like he was about to cry, his adam apple bobbing as he swallowed thickly.

"Let's go get some ice cream," Piper suggested quickly, knowing that a subject change would be appreciated. The other three looked weirdly at her before nodding.

They stayed out nearly the whole night out by the pond in Swellview park, sitting quietly and enjoying the cool breeze that whisked between them.

(No, Veronika - whoever she was - did not show up.)

Jasper and Charlotte decided to stay the night over their house and the three of them all piled into Henry's room while Piper stayed in hers with the door open, just in case.

They all knew the next while would be a bumpy road, but they were all willing to go through it. Thick and thin.

After all, it's what a real best friend would do.

Any mistakes will be fixed as soon as I can get to them. Thanks for reading, and I should be back soon with another update :) Hope you enjoyed!