I was happy, it was so hard to fathom that I could be happy seeing Rath's face. Yes, at times the flashes of him and Magenta kissing and the hurt comes through, but right now our group is good since he is acting how he should. Rath is cracking jokes with Zan, at times the girls had these looks of disdain clear as day on their faces.

Jennifer cut in, her voice like warm honey. "So, another date with the big bad," her eyes pale but alive with mirth. We all laughed, all but Gwen and Jennifer that is "We're just having dinner and a movie, he thinks I am a loser and can't get a man, and he is trying to make sure that I can't. I mean who would talk to me with him around," Layla just chuckled.

"No one, but he acts the same with me, hovers like a dark storm," facts, Layla was spiting facts, but Jennifer gave Gwen a look. I would not invade their small bit of privacy, but it was clear with a look a shared a small conversation took place. Rath just snorted, "If I wasn't taken, I would give you all my attention," his smile was sly in a small flirtatious way.

I smiled back, "I am so happy you found Magenta, you both deserve each other. I always enjoy a happy ending," Zan raised his glass of tea to that. When I looked back seeing Warren talking to Opie, her long brown hair hung right past her rear, she was like a version of Jennifer in the looks department. She traced her fingertips down his black tee her soft female laugh could be heard, I heard her mind because I never said she was off-limits. She liked him and flirting hardcore, so like that, I cut her off not needing to hear or see it, his dark eyes started to move up when I looked back to my friends feeling the room grow warmer.

Gwen just shook her head, "Temper temper, I am so nervous about tomorrow. Like it makes it so real when it has been already."

Like that all we spoke of is her baby shower which will be everything she deserved. She was a saint to put up with Lash and Warren. I never moved but knew he was standing behind me and not by the sour look on Rath's face but was a little shocked feeling his arms around my neck, his breath in my ear, and stroking my neck. "How about you ditch these losers, not you Layla bean. But the others and come hang with me, a movie at my place and then dinner like we planned," I was not stupid, and wouldn't refuse to be away from all these happy couples, I was like a third wheel daily.

I turned up to him and there was something new there, "Let's go," like that he snagged my hand helping me over the booth when Jennifer and Gwen caught his attention. "Can we talk to you for a minute, then you can take Az for a little," Gwen clucked, I had thought everyone would lay off me with her having Mason but I think she was worse. But every day I was blessed and thankful to have her in my life, for a long time was the only female role model other than Jennifer that I had.

He sighed running his hand through his hair, "Whatever it is I didn't do it, ladies. And for a while, sure, I'll have her home by at least two am," I moved right as Gwen nailed him and Jennifer got him in a sleeper hold. He chuckled, "Fucking awesome, so proud of you two," he cooed as he stood walking away with them.

"I don't know why, but I hate that guy. But he never goes away," Rath chugged the last of his pop as I leaned over the booth. "Well, he is family, and my brother's best friend so doubt he is going anywhere, buddy boy,"

He just leaned his head back, "That is a sad unfortunate event," In seconds we were all cracking up, this felt good, and it felt right for Rath to be with us. Zan was happy too and that meant Layla was super happy, Will nodded in the direction of the girls who were coming back our way.

Gwen just hugged me, "No later than one in the morning," her stern voice echoed as I just shook my head muttering, "I doubt I will be out that long, Warren and Opie have a thing," her honeysuckle and baby's breath scent filled my last few years and when she left my side it was filled with the sweet orange and spice of Jeni who just winked walking away.

Driving in the sunshine, the warm blacktop leading onward into the horizon, gave a sweet sense of freedom. Warren, he was sweating his hair tied up his musk filled the cab of his big ass truck, it was him his natural scent and it drew me in like a bee to pollen. He was smiling and it was not his fake smile or even a smirk, "So I am thinking we can watch the Stand, the original by Stephen King," that was a miniseries and would take a decent amount of time to watch.

I was game, I had no one at home and no plans, ever. "Sounds good to me, and it is not even a chick flick,"

"I made sure of that hunnie, got us snacks too. Your mine tonight," but the humor in his voice just made everything good, so hard to explain it was like a color-blind person seeing colors for the first time. I just turned up the music, Avenged Sevenfold beast and the harlot was blaring as he drove and just rocked out beside me. I knew Warren had a small two-bedroom house since he moved from his mother's after he got out of prison. It was cute, the old house is the sanity of these hills, the ever-present home amid such change. I can remember each brick for as far back as my memory goes, touch them, feel the texture that has greeted strong summers and hailstones with such dignity. How I love the blue door, some years weather-worn and in others sporting a shiny new coat and imagine its pride in showing the countryside it is still loved. It was well taken care of, inside was more modern but not too modern, he just set his code behind us. "It can get worse; we both know I have many enemies. Giving him a nod but internally I dared someone to try and enter his home, he was dangerous but with me here it was a death wish I would do everything to protect him. I figured if I found a better man than my ex, my infatuation with Peace would finally disappear like it did when Layla found Zan she just stopped wanting Peace.

I moved through his house, the eyes greeted by family photographs and the well-loved furniture of years. I smiled seeing his pictures hung with care or placed on the desk, Lash, Gwen, Jennifer, Layla, and even myself. One of him and his mother both looked thrilled his smile matched hers in every way. I turned to him, "You have Willow's smile,"

"Yeah, I do. I am going to go shower the smell off me, be back." He just left me to roam around, but I just went into the den and curled up on the sofa, all he had was a sofa and two hard-backed chairs that looked stunning but not at all comfortable. He kept his place nice and neat everything in its place nothing crowded, he needed more things because he lives like a monk. With a groan I was up heading to grab a drink, he was taking forever but with luck, his desolate kitchen was stocked with cooking stuff, snacks, and drinks. I turned and waited for another minute when he walked in smiling, his hair not dripping wet but still wet.

"Come on," his hand was held out and I took it letting him lead me into the den and resuming my spot on the sofa. I asked, "You live like a monk," I felt his eye roll from here. "So, I don't need much. Does it bother you?"

It wouldn't matter, "Not really, I like all the pictures you have,"

"Well only the ones close to me have seen my new place, I'll bring Layla too," she was important to him, he held some people close, and the rest could burn. I took a long deep breath; he wore just his sleeping pants but it was time to just let the fantasy go. I knew Jax's dug me he was in Warren's group he had been messaging me recently. I told Gwen who told me not to tell Warren, and as an afterthought not to tell Lash. I settled it, while he was setting up the movie my fingers flew across the cold screen of my cell.

"Sure, that sounds great!"

I only had to wait until Warren planted his ass on the other side of the sofa for Jax's reply of "Awesome!," at least someone liked me.

He poured off heat as I just grumbled at the screen making him smirk, "Come on, unless across the globe there are groups like this to neutralize the reactors, we would be dead in months. All the nuclear reactors would explode, and we are dead." My finger pointing at Stu as Warren chuckled.

"Well Az love, it is a movie and not real. Doubt we would enjoy it if it was based so much on fact, what kind of story wants to end with the world ending and human life erased," he was right, but I just fumed my stomach growling.

With a side-eye, he spoke, "Ready to go eat?"

Like a whip, my answer came. "Just order food," I didn't want to share my time with him with the mass of girls that flirted and thought he was such a super big bro. "Good-by me, I rather spend time with my favorite girl. Now don't go telling the other girls that, they get so jealous. "But he was smiling as he left me alone. I just watched the movie feeling pretty worn out and still looking crappy after the games. I again shook my head, but he was right, doubt we would have interest in movies if they played by the book.

I held my hand out," You're scary sometimes," but he placed the cold coke in my hand. "I have certain people always tuned in to some degree, not everyone just the people who mean the world to me," it took years for me to get to where I am with my powers, if my mother were alive, she could have trained me, but life wasn't fair.

The flavors are familiar and comforting, the sort one could eat every day as if they were the most divine food ever conjured. I loved the Griller; I just didn't like that it was Rath at the door since he was delivering the last meal as he left his shift as the headline cook. His eyes locked on Warrens, for some damn reason the hate he carried for Warren was still present, but they never had to get along just as we and Magenta never would again. But when Rath saw me, he beamed "Here you go, Az, call me later," then another cold stare at Warren before he left heading home to Magenta.

Warren just snorted, "Sore loser,"

But with food done and feeling pretty good just relaxing in a comfortable silence unless one of us had a smart-ass comment, my eyes grew heavy. Falling asleep was as easy as letting the dreams begin.

Now see the issue was I was not at home in my bed as warmth filled every bone in my body, for once no bad energy or dreams came.

Baby Shower:

It was Lash staring down Warren, while Gwen was beaming at them "Lash, stop acting tough. You even said at least she was with the person you trust most with her. They watched a movie and she passed out, now hug it out and get back to our baby shower," and like that Lash smiled hugging his best friend. I wasn't in any trouble since my dad never knew I never arrived home, I just walked in seeing Layla with a raised brow.

I cut in, "You guys are so odd, is Jax here. He asked me out," just wanting to push my brothers' buttons since he had been prancing around trying to act tough when Warren could kill him with a single blow. Oh, the negative emotions rise, their faces turn a mix between homicidal and rage, both live in the same house anyways. Every emotion is okay, helpful in the right situation. The dark emotions are like salt, just a pinch adds flavor, yet too many ruins the entire dish. Envy can be motivation to better the self, when combined with being a good sport and wanting what is best for others, it can bring positive results. A pinch of hate toward an abuser can lead to freedom and a positive life with one who truly loves in a protective and nurturing way. A pinch of greed can help you to hang on to things you need for yourself or loved ones in your care. The trick of it all is to remember what is salt and what is food; the food is love, empathy, kindness, joy, compassion, nurture, protection, integrity... the salt is envy, hate, greed, anger, sloth... If you have vastly more food than salt, everything will be alright.

I spun around, "If it was up to you two, I will be a cat lady for the rest of my bloody days. I am just a third wheel to everyone," nothing I was going to say was going to matter or change them it was just hard wired in their DNA to act like I was fragile.

By the end of the shower, I was covered in the end explosion of blue glitter we had rained down because who doesn't like glitter? Well, nothing bad happened even when Jax came up to me, "Sorry, I didn't think Lash get so angry. I mean he is my friend," his fingers tried to run through his short hair, I just sighed. "So, you came to call off our date? It is understandable," smiling at him but he looked down at me.

"I am supposed to, but no. I will pick you up Friday," I was shocked but my smile widened, Jax is playing with death.

I nod, "I can't wait," when he turned, he was face to face with Will, Warren, Kyle, Ash, and last was my brother who all are giving off bad vibes as I make my great escape.

Everyone was at my dad's, Warren's entire crew, and my friends but my focus was on the round belly of my sister-in-law. Mason was very verbal; I had started to notice other pregnant females around Maxville. Babies are very verbal and understand that we can't hear them, but I could, and Mason was not happy with his mother's habit of eating dry toast and scrambled eggs every morning. My eyes flickered to hers, "Gwen, Mason is not happy with you. I mean what you eat in the morning, he just isn't a fan of the eggs and dry ass toast," her hands flew to her belly, but she shook her head in understanding.

But right then it was happening as I tried to focus again, just on Mason I canceled everyone to a zero. His chemical structure was changing, this was so fascinating, we were either hero's in the womb or not this has been a very debated topic. I knew everyone was staring as I was gone, just soaking the information up. It could be described as a light show little sparks of color exploding inside his tiny body until they found the right spot.

I was coming out of it as Mason settled into a nice position as his body was at rest once again, I was dazed and confused. I had a pad of paper and pen in hand, and Wil was braced behind me keeping me upright. "Oh, sorry," these zone-outs hardly happened as I had grown up, but they still happened.

Will just laughed, "It is fine, what happened?"

But I was watching Jax and Warren, Warren his vibe was off. I for once invaded his mind, he was angry at Jax who tried to be where Will is, Lash was angry too but more trying to snap me out of it. I just sighed; my voice so light it was like a goose feather in his mind. "Warren, hey, it's me." his breathing becomes softer, the pensive look melting into a smile as soft as the morning light.

I glanced at Layla, "Might want to get Medulla over here, the topic of when our cell's and structure make us who we're as Hero's is finished," I held the note pad up when it hit everyone, it was an uproar.

I was going to help Medulla write his book, he was so torn on when it happened. I stated, "Mason has the hero gene, it was amazing, we get it around this gestation," my brother was thrilled but he was picking me up from the floor. "You zoned out for over two hours, Warren is the pizza coming,"

I answered, "Open the gates," it was here and at that moment my stomach gave a low grumble making me groan.

Zan and Layla walked to the front door to grab it as Gwen and Jennifer are looking over the notes and diagrams I was drawing while under my power. I was on the sofa just drained until Warren sat next to me his arm wrapped around me, there is an energy to the hug as if the matter of one powered up the other. I felt his energy seep in, or I was stealing it. I for once moved away when the truth hit me, he was always close when I was drained, and it take me less recovery time. I soaked his energy up he gave me a look before his eyes went to Gwen and Lash, I hated when they did that.

He turned to me, "What is it, Az,"

"I am absorbing your energy,"

"I know, your body only takes what it needs your body on every level would never harm me," he just wrapped his arm around me once more shutting down any retort I thought that I had. We just eat as each group is having separate conversations about whatever they felt important, but right then I knew my brother, Jennifer, Gwen, and Warren are hiding something from me…