Author's Note: And we continue!

Disclaimer: Story is rated for mentions of and content that is potentially trigger inducing including but not limited to mentions and scenes of violence, assault, rape, child abuse, drugs and more.

Chapter 38 - Burning

Dabi knocked on the door lazily with steady consistent tapping. He didn't stop after four knocks, but continued until he heard someone yell and open the door roughly. The man who stood in the doorway was not Ito like he hoped. This man was tall with a bald head and beady black eyes that looked like dots. In fact his face looked like a kid had modeled it with clay and smoothed out all the lines. Unable to stop himself, Dabi opened his eyes wide and gave a maniacal smirk. "Ugly sucker aren't you? I have a delivery for Ito from Giran." The man glared at the skinny teenager and opened the door into the living room.

Stepping inside, Dabi peered around the area as he counted another person who looked plain clothed and unremarkable, and Ito walked into the living room where he was standing. Ito looked at him and folded his arms. "You have a delivery for me?" Dabi nodded and moved to sit on the sofa nearby, kicking his booted feet up on the center table. "Yeah. Sedatives. Ren ordered them through Giran and then got himself caught by the police. Giran told me to deliver them to you." Ito stepped forward, mistrust was written all over his face as he held out a hand for them. "Why didn't Giran call to tell me this?" With a look down his nose at Ito, the teenager's teal like eyes almost glowed as his grin widened. If Ito touched him, even a bump, he could manipulate Dabi's mind. Dabi had no intention of allowing that.

"I don't know, maybe he didn't trust you for sending a feline idiot to him and almost getting him caught. Why is your hand out?" Ito narrowed his eyes. "I want my delivery so you can leave." The grin from Dabi got wider, or maybe it was the way his sutures spread a bit as he stretched his skin to grin as thin smoke rolled out of his mouth like a dragon. "What do we say when we want something?" Dabi chided as an ominous glow omitted from his eyes. He needed to make a distraction, his left hand raising up as if to take Ito's hand or mimic the palm out gesture. Ito looked annoyed as he mockingly grinned with bared teeth and spoke. "Please." With a grin, Dabi's left hand glowed blue and exploded into a large flash of blue flames and smoke, shaking the walls and furniture. The man with the clay molded face tried to charge at Dabi, and the black haired youth flipped backwards over the back of the dofa letting his combat boot come up into the man's face.

The man's face exploded into a skin colored goo like clay and just as fast it sucked back to him as his beady eyes got bigger like open holes and his mouth yelled in anger. Dabj threw both hands out and blue flames coiled down his arms, exploding into the big clay like man as Dabi tried to incinerate him, finding trouble due to the wet texture of his skin. Ito was rolling on the ground coughing from the smoke and pulled a gun, trying to aim it at the blue fire user through the thick smoke as the two men from upstairs paused on the stairs. "Guard the woman!" Ito yelled as he fired off a shot at Dabi. He only got one shot before a dark form flew through the front door and a loud screech filled the room, an impact knocking the gun from his hand.

The third man who had been downstairs seemed to have disappeared and Dabi continued to stream blue flame after blue flame into the big guy that was struggling to take a step towards Dabi as his skin dried out and cracked like baked clay. Dabi was forced to pause his assault as his regulators kicked on and he ducked into a corner to avoid detection amidst the smoke. As soon as he touched the wall, he felt thick pieces of wallpaper begin to wrap around him as it peeled off the wall with a life of its own. Dabi growled and pulled at the paper as it continued to bundle around him. He needed 23 more seconds to fire another blast and he couldn't see what was going on.

Echo seemed right at home in the smoke. His combat training for hero work allowed him to restrain and cuff Ito with plastic bands that pulsed with a small electronic signal to block the man's quirk. Echo made small chattering noises to get his bearings with his echolocation and saw one big man who was stuck in place smoking like a hot dish from an oven. Ito was cuffed, Dabi was in the cocoon of wallpaper on the wall? He jumped easily through the air for Dabi and tried to tear through the paper. Echo suddenly saw the missing person from their intel curled up next to a clock with one hand on the rug and another on the wall. This guy's quirk must allow him to manipulate inanimate objects he touched from any distance. As if to prove that point, the threads of the woven rug unraveled and attacked Echo as he tried to pull Dabi free.

"Thit!" He yelled as his claws on his hands popped out and he attacked the thick cords coming at him. Dabi glared until he felt the regulators turn off and yelled. "Get high!" Echo launched himself to the ceiling, clinging onto it with all his strength as another explosion of blue flames erupted around the room, filling it with searing heat and smoke. Echo held his breath as the man holding the rug and wall screamed in pain. Echo heard commotion over his radio before Hawks yelled. "Are you two alright?" Echo coughed before landing next to Dabi and grabbing his coat and dragging him out the door. "We're out! You?"

Hawks took a moment to reply before he called back. "Airborne and calling the cops." Echo coughed when he got fresh air and doubled over outside as Dabi turned and pointed his left hand at the house. Lifting his goggles, Jin blinked before grabbing Dabi's arm. It felt warm and rough with the scars that were visible. "Don't! The polithe are on their way. We need to meet up with Hawkth." Glowing turquoise eyes locked onto black ones before Dabi let his hand drop. "I'm going to make them pay for what they put Keigo's family through." Jin pulled his arm towards the street. "And get the whole family into trouble? That'th not what I agreed to."

Dabi frowned and seemed to give in, following after Echo as they stuck to the shadows and hurried to avoid being near the location when the police inevitably showed up. They moved quickly and Dabi let out a sigh as he saw Azumi sitting at a bus stop bench with Hawks standing next to her and holding her wrist. Azumi looked asleep, leaning on her son to stay upright. Grabbing Echo's arm before they got too close he looked at Jin. "You know what I have to do after this." Jin paused and seemed to be remembering, a solemn nod. "I'll take care of them." Nodding they approached the two carefully.

/

Hawks helped Azumi to stand and held her in his arms as he put one wing protectively around his mother. "I'm going to blast the wall out. Cover your ears." Azumi held her hands over her ears as he manipulated a series of feathers to attack, slice, crash through and shred apart the wood, drywall and wallpaper of the wall around the window so the window frame could fall forward. Another tremble rocked the house and Azumi whimpered, clinging to Keigo as he kept at it, forcing the hole big enough to carry her through.

He was almost there when the door behind them rattled and opened, and Hawks was facing the door, Azumi shifted behind him with a full wing around her to shield her. Two large primaries appeared in his hands as he struck at one of the two men in the doorway. They were armed with guns, and he shot feathers into the gun barrels, a kick to one forcing him back. He didn't move from his spot much because he was maintaining his protection on Azumi. Tossing the gun away, the man still in the room tried to charge him, assuming he would have to engage because he had one wing occupied, but as soon as he started the entire house shook and part of the floor sunk in, warping under the heat and motion.

Azumi buried her face into Keigo's jacket as Hawks grabbed the man who was unstable and grinned. "Going up?" He sent two feathers to grab the man by his shirt and drag him up into the ceiling, pinning him there. The man from the hallway choked and coughed as black smoke rolled into the room. Realizing he was out of time, he turned to scoop up his mother in a bridal carry and ran for the hole in the wall. He had heard Echo screeching over his radio and let his wings spread as he was into the air clutching his mother close. His large coat shrouding her against the wind.

"Are you two alright?" Echo replied they were out and asked Hawks for his status. "Airborne and calling the cops." Hawks glanced back and saw blue and red flames swirling throughout the ground floor. Smoke pouring out of the windows as the building was beginning to burn. He saw the newsstand ahead and noticed a bus stop next to it with a bench. He angled to land carefully and set Azumi to sit on the bench. Her breathing was shallow and he could feel her heartbeat was going faster than his. "Mom?" Azumi opened her eyes and kept a grip on his arm. "I'm trying- stay awake. Feel sick." He nodded and moved close enough for her to lean on him.

They didn't have to wait long. Echo and Dabi appeared, smelling like smoke and no worse for the wear. Hawks looked at Dabi and the two locked eyes for a moment as Jin crouched in front of Azumi. "Aunt Thumi? You ok?" She nodded and smiled weakly as she looked at them both. "Thank you. All of you." She gripped Jin's arm in one hand and Dabi looked away from Hawks when he heard the handcuff rattle. His eyes hardened as he walked over to gently feel her wrist. "Did they give you anything, Aunti?" Azumi blnked at Dabi and couldn't stop herself from grabbing his hand with her other one. "I'm alright."

Dabi waved Hawks to the side and the two teenagers stepped away as Jin moved to hug Azumi, starting to go through his first aid kit. "If you aren't supposed to be here, let me take her to the hospital. Or better still when the cops show up she can wonder that way. We reclose the handcuff on her arm and who are the cops to know she didn't escape during the fire." Hawks glanced at his mother and looked at his friend. "I'm not leaving her to wait for the police alone. And I'm not leaving you again without being able to talk." The taller black haired teen put both hands on the blonde's shoulders. "I'll stay to watch her. You two need to be at home when the police or Commission call. You and I can catch up tomorrow."

Keigo shook his head no and grabbed Toya's forearms. "No! I'm not letting you go again. I failed to save you before. You went through all of this for me. I can't lose you now." Jin and Azumi watched from the bench, Azumi biting her bottom lip. Dabi moved his hands to hold Hawk's face firmly. "Let me do this. Please. I will see you tomorrow. I promise." Hawks didn't like it, but he knew he was being stubborn. He knew his mother needed medical attention and Dabi's plan was the most sound. "If you break that promise I'll never text you again." He blinked back tears, uncertain why he was so upset. Dabi grinned and rested his forehead against Keigo's. "That's fair."

Moving back to Azumi, Hawks hugged her close as Dabi recounted the plan to Echo and Azumi. With shaking hands, Azumi held her raw freed wrist up so Dabi could snap the handcuff back on. Jin peered towards the house and nodded. "There'th a fire truck and polithe cruither already there. If you had been running on foot you would thee them. Tho thith ith a good thpot to head back from." Azumi nodded, standing on shaky feet to give Jin a big hug. A kiss to Hawk's forehead and Dabi moved to gently take her elbow. "I'll help you over there Auntie." The three teenagers all looked at each other and nodded a silent agreement. Taking to the air, Hawks and Echo were now in a race of time to get back to the apartment.

Azumi was putting a lot of weight on Dabi as he guided her back towards the house. "You'll be ok, Auntie?" She nodded and brought his hand up to kiss his knuckles. "You're like my guardian angel, Dabi. You're always there when I need you to be." He looked sheepish, but kept walking, moving to get her towards a streetlight. "Hold onto this and get your bearings. Then head to those cops. I'll catch up with you tomorrow." A final nod and Dabi disappeared into the shadows.

Azumi took a shaky deep breath as she stumbled towards the police officer and prayed this hadn't all been a dream.

/

Keigo and Jin landed on their balcony, both taking a moment to collect themselves before stepping inside. They could see the lights on in the living room, Soji passed out on the sofa with the tv on and his phone on the table. Sion was asleep in a recliner that had been a recent addition to the apartment. Jin looked at Keigo and the 16 year old let out a shaky breath. "This is my first real assignment. I mean that I was hands on with. And my mother is going ok thanks to you two." Jin nodded and grinned as he shook hands with Keigo. "We make a great team. I told you, I'm going to be your thidekick." Keigo wasn't moving to go inside, holding Jin's hand as he whispered. "Toya is going to disappear again, isn't he?"

His oldest and best friend looked down. "I know he will thee you again before it happenth. But the Comithon won't let him go. Hith family needth him to be gone. You have to trutht he will be there when you need him. Jutht like I am." Keigo nodded, collecting himself before he slid open the balcony door and walked inside. Soji woke immediately and Jin walked over to Sion as he removed his mask and goggles. The silver haired lawyer looked nervous as he took a shaky step towards his son. "Azumi?"

Keigo grinned and gave Soji a thumbs up. "Headed to the hospital as we speak. You're going to get a call that she's been recovered safely from her kidnappers. If I tell you anything else, they'll suspect." Sion hugged Jin and nodded her approval. "You two did it then?" Jin nodded quickly. "Yeth! We even made thure Auntie was ok before letting the polithe find her. But of courthe we were here the whole time." When Keigo confirmed Azumi's safety Soji covered his face with a hand and dropped onto the sofa letting out a cry. "Thank god!"

Keigo couldn't get the smile off his face as he hurried over to hug his father, Soji gripping him tightly. "I'm so proud of you and grateful." The phone rang and Sion picked it up. "Nakamura residence? He's finally sleeping, is this important? Oh! Hold on please." She smiled holding the phone away for a few seconds before handing it to Soji. With shaking hands, Soji was still holding Keigo with one arm as he answered the phone. Keigo was impressed with his father and Sion. If he wasn't in front of them, or he hadn't told them what happened the teenagers would have believed the tone and reactions.

Soji was nodding, getting details and asking about Azumi's health and if the kidnappers were arrested. Jin went into Keigo's room to change, Sion taking his hero outfit back to her apartment down the hall. Once Soji was off the phone, things moved quickly again. Keigo had to shower and change, Jin and Sion asked to go with to the hospital. Keigo called Cloak and Spy and left voicemails for them on the way to the hospital, only giving them what information he got from Soji. The lawyer drove them all to the hospital in his Tesla, breaking traffic laws without a care for red light cameras and speed traps.

They didn't have to wait long to see her. She was being checked by a female doctor and was finished, getting tucked into a bed by the time they all got to her floor. There were police there writing out details to their statements, but no one stopped Soji from practically running into her room and gathering her up into his arms in a gentle protective hug. Keigo stood in the doorway watching with a big grin, his mother and father holding each other and whispering as he saw them both crying. There was a lot going on in Keigo's mind as he watched Soji place Azumi's wedding band and engagement ring back on her left ring fingers.

Overall, he knew this was what he wanted to do with his life. Be a hero that could help families so they would never have to go through this. If they did, he would be the best hero possible to make sure everyone would be happy and feel safe with him. Listening to Sion talking to the police, their official statement was that a rival gang attacked the house and amidst the chaos, Azumi had escaped. Whether that story would hold up with the Commission or not, Keigo didn't really care.

His parents were safe, the bad guys were in jail, and he would make sure that was always the case.