-1Extraordinary- Chapter Nine: Lost and Found

plummet: Hey, y'all. I'm really sorry for this substantial delay, but I encountered some severe uploading problems for about a week, and...Anyway, before I forget, I placed all thoughts in italics this chapter, just to test it out and whatnot. I kind of found my '…' way of thought to be very similar to the speaking one, if only a quotation off. I also figured the italics might separate it more and make it easier to read. In any case, here's chapter nine, and don't kill me if you hate the italics…

Disclaimer: I don't own anything Sky High related, I'm sorry to say. El fin.

It's only now when words are said

That break my heart in two

I wonder how you can endure

All I've said, all I say to you…- A Moment Lost; Enya

My temples throbbed sharply as I began to regain consciousness. Escalating light and sound ebbed away at the artificial darkness behind my eyelids, and I rattled off an absent thought.

I don't remember falling asleep…

My eyes blinked open, only to shut again on reflex as the harsh lights of my unknown location flooded in. It seemed my one thought had broken the dam, and more were able to escape through the cracks, such as, Where am I, What happened, and as more registered, Was that really him…?

I had an immediate answer to none of these questions, so I did what was instinctual and sat up. That was a bad thing to do, I soon found out. I had been sprawled underneath a metal table, you see, and colliding with metal doesn't do wonders for the noggin, despite what people might say…

"Ouch!" I yelped painfully, clutching at my injured head. I banged against the table bottom with my fist for good measure.

Ha, now how do you like it?

I winced as I opened my eyes, fully taking in my surroundings. People were staring, and I glared at them through my pain, daring them silently to laugh at my predicament.

What, never seen a girl hit her head before? I thought acidly.

I shook off my senseless anger. It wouldn't do me any good to go bashing random people's heads in.

Well alright, it would make me feel a little better, but it's not at the top of my priority list right now. Right now, I need to figure out where I am…

Something clicked in my head as I glanced at the menu advertising cappuccino flavors.

Oh, the café! And the mall, of course! And…and…what else…?

"Amelie?" A gruff voice brought me back down to the situation at hand.

I knew that voice. It was…I turned to the source of the inquiry and found just who I expected, Warren. The guy in question was assessing me for injuries at the moment, his brow creased only slightly in what appeared to be concern.

I shrugged off his light grip on my forearm, scooting out from under the table and standing up. My head spun only slightly, but I managed to stay upright by resting my weight on the tabletop. I had fainted before, and dealing with the aftermath was nothing new.

Warren stood up only a beat after I did, a question in his eyes. It took me but a second to place it.

Why…?

"I don't…" I began, but couldn't finish. A sudden urgency bubbled up inside of me, unable to be contained. My eyes frantically scanned the entire span of the café, feverishly darting over each occupant. I was determined more than ever to find him, the cause of all this, everything…!

But he was long gone, as I knew he would be, and with him went any plan of action I had previously conceived. My shoulders slumped in bitter defeat. I was bested again.

"Amelie, who was that?" Warren spoke again, this time with a demanding undertone, as if he expected a straight answer.

I shakily pulled out a chair and sat down, him doing the same in the seat across from me. I opened my mouth ever so slightly, prepared to spill my heart and soul out to him, a guy I barely knew (if I even knew him at all)…and found I couldn't. I turned my head dejectedly to the side, unable to make eye contact.

"No one," I whispered instead. "No one important."

-Warren's p.o.v.-

I'm pretty sure Amelie was the first person to get in a car with me without hesitating. Either she really wanted to make a quick exit, or she was just so exhausted that she couldn't care less how she got home. Either way, I didn't blame her. Her little fainting spell back at the café attracted a lot of unwanted attention. I'd wanna hightail it outta there, too.

I glanced at her through the corner of my eye as she put on her seatbelt. She was extremely pale, more so than usual. I looked her full in the face, and she gave me a weak smile as if to reassure me she was fine. I knew that was false right off the bat. For one, the whites of her eyes showed no blood vessels; they were completely clear. And second, her strength reserves had depleted to the point where she was barely able to keep her eyes open, let alone allow me to notice her exhibition of the symptoms. She was experiencing the aftereffects of a full body shutdown, no doubt.

However, she seemed to be handling herself well enough. It made me wonder if things like that happened often.

As I pulled out of the mall parking lot and onto the main highway, I grimaced at the feeling in my gut. Amelie's refusal to confide in me, I'm ashamed to admit, actually hurt. A lot more than it should have, anyway. We'd only just met less than a week ago…But, since when has time mattered? For once in my life, I was concerned about someone. For once in my life, I felt…helpless.

I exhaled heavily. Maybe I should just explain how this came to be in the first place.

I waited for Amelie to collect herself at the café before taking her to meet up with everyone. The guys told me previously that they wanted to go over to the arcade after lunch and that they'd tell the girls, so I figured they would've already left.

Sure enough, when we arrived, I spotted Will and Zack playing each other in Mortal Combat, Ethan hovering near the console and giving the occasional comment on playing tactics. Amelie found Layla and Magenta playing that dancing game on the back wall. What's it called again? Dance Dance Resolution? …Whatever.

I watched Amelie converse with Layla a little as I rested against one of the pinball machines. I wasn't too fond of arcades. Not for any particular reason, but just because they were loud, bright, and full of button-happy kids. It's sad to say a few of those 'button-happy kids' are

people I consider my friends. Ah well. They kept things interesting.

Amelie and Layla glanced over at me a few times, Amelie shaking her head with a slight frown marring her features. I could almost imagine what they were saying:

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"Layla, really, I'm fine."

"I could take you home if you want."

"No, no, you don't have to do that…"

"What about Warren? I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

"Warren?" a glance at me, "No, I couldn't do that to him. It's…fine. I'm fine."

"I'm going to go ask him."

"No, Layla! Really, it's-"

And that's when Layla walked up to me and ruined my fun. Although, I didn't have a problem taking Amelie home, considering I'd already gotten what I came for. I told Layla as much, and that was that. Amelie and I left, end of story.

I turned left off the highway. I guessed it was as good a time as any to try a conversation.

"What's your address?"

Amelie looked over at me with an unsure expression, as if debating whether or not to tell me.

"124 Sparrow Boulevard," she answered finally, turning her head to watch the passing cars and successfully avoiding looking me in the eye.

I furrowed my brow. Isn't that Layla's address? Are they living together or something?

As if she could sense my thoughts, Amelie shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

I shook my head. It's probably none of my business, anyway.

"You alright now?" I asked to break the awkwardness, but it was a stupid question, considering I already knew the answer.

"Yeah, I'm alright." And she actually seemed alright, smiling at me the way she was, but I knew better. I was all too familiar with the sadness in her eyes.

"We're here," I said stiffly. I'm sure she wouldn't appreciate it if I questioned her anymore than I already had. I know I wouldn't. And I was pulling into Layla's (and possibly Amelie's) driveway, so it's not like my response was illogical.

I frowned as a thought hit me.

Man, am I weird around her or what?

-Amelie's p.o.v.-

I shouted another 'Thanks for the ride' to Warren before turning around and shutting the door behind me. I walked somewhat slowly into the living room, only to find Mrs. Ashcroft sitting on the couch, immersed in a book.

"How was your shopping trip, dear?" She asked me without even looking up.

I guess she heard me come in. "It was a lot of fun," I managed to force out, holding up my many shopping bags as proof.

Mrs. Ashcroft smiled happily at me and placed her bookmark on the page she was reading. At the very least, I wasn't completely lying. I did have loads of fun until…lunchtime.

"I'm gonna go upstairs and unload my bags," I said hurriedly before she could squeeze in any other questions. I knew I was being rude as I darted up the stairs, but honestly…I didn't care at the moment. It was either that or have a breakdown in front of my new foster mom. Personally, I'd rather the former.

When I reached my bed, I collapsed on it in an undignified heap, shoving my purchases off to the side. So much had happened today, a portion of it unwanted, and I just wanted to sleep…I had begun to do just that, actually, when the phone rang. I covered my ears.

"Why…" I whined pathetically, curling into a ball in an attempt to ward off the shrill sound.

It stopped three rings later, although I wasn't certain because I could still I hear it echoing in my head.

"Amelie-dear, the phone's for you!" Mrs. Ashcroft's voice carried up the stairs.

"Alright, I got it, thanks!" I yelled back.

Who would be calling me? I didn't give out my number to any of my friends, and no one besides the Sisters knows where I'm staying, so who…?

I hadn't a clue, but I had half a mind to ignore the person waiting for me on the other line. Half a mind that wasn't controlling my ability to walk, mind you. I picked up the cordless phone on my nightstand and put it to my ear skeptically. What if this was a prank call or something?

"Hello?" I greeted tentatively.

"Hi, is this Amelie?" A man's voice questioned. It was a man on the phone with me, of that I was sure. The voice was too deep to be a woman's.

My brow furrowed in thought. He sounds so familiar…but not familiar enough to place.

"Yes, this is her," I replied more confidently than I felt. My heart rate had already begun to climb.

"Amelie? This is your father, Greg Bowen."

Black spots crept into my vision. I felt the beginnings of a faint coming on, but I fought them off without much effort. At first, I was completely void of all emotion. Apathetic, if you will. Then, all of a sudden, something inside me snapped.

How dare he…! After all this time, after everything he put me through…!

"You-" I choked. "How dare you. After all these years, you decide to contact me now? Why now, huh? Why?"

"Sweety, If you'd just-"

"Are you even aware of all that you've done? No wait, scratch that. Of all that you've caused!" My voice turned incredulous. "And then here you are, calling me up like some long lost friend!" All the anger I'd carefully bottled up and stored away over the years burst out, and I greedily snatched the opportunity to give him his well overdue reality check. "She's dead, you know! Dead! All because of you! I lived in an orphanage for fourteen years! For fourteen years I believed I was without a family! And now that I'm in a nice foster home and things are finally working out for me, you decide to call me up with some crap statement like 'This is your father, Greg Bowen'! What kind of a person-"

"Amelie, I-"

"No, you listen to me, and you listen good. You're no father to me. As far as I'm concerned, you died the day you left Mom and I. You're dead to me now, you got that? And unless you have a damn good reason for this sudden intervention in my life, you better crawl back into that little hole you've been in for fourteen years because I don't want anything to do with you."

I was panting now, out of breath from my rant. Acid burnt at the back of my throat. The other line was silent as I basked in the heat of my anger. I was just about to hang up when he decided to speak.

"I was afraid, alright? Afraid of you and what you were. You frightened me."

My anger fled, and I was left cold and empty in its wake. Whatever I had been expecting, it most definitely wasn't that.

He took a deep breath, "Your mother had kept her secret from me. She never told me she was a…She never told me she had superpowers." He paused for a beat, and then continued. "I found out, though. When you were born, you…You showed signs of having superpowers. When you cried, it would storm something crazy…" He laughed hollowly. "So of course, she had to tell me to preserve my sanity."

There was some shuffling on the other line, and then his voice came again, "I tried to deal with knowing for three whole years, but then I just couldn't take it anymore so…I left." His voice turned bitter. "I packed my bags and left a three year-old child and her mother to live alone, regardless of the consequences...I knew when she died, you know. I practically sat by when they took you to an orphanage. I went into hiding, you see, and no one really knew where I was…I don't think I even knew where I was, at the time…"

I shut my eyes tightly, attempting to block it all out. I didn't want to hear anymore, but I knew I had to, knew that I wouldn't ever be at peace with myself until I knew his full story. So, I smothered the urge to scream and forced myself to listen as he continued on.

"I was scared all this time…Scared of my very own daughter!" He was starting to become hysterical. "I used to believe, you know, that I was doing the right thing by neglecting my parental duty. I used to say to myself, 'Greg, they're mutants! They have superpowers! They aren't even supposed to exist!', and every time I would accept that as truth and…and go on with my life…"

By now I was crying, thick tears dripping down my face and pooling on the bedspread. If the sobbing sounds on his end were any indication, he was crying, too.

"Y-you were s-so small when I abandoned you, I r-r-realize that now. You were my daughter, and I s-should've g-given you the love you deserved. A-and your mother, too. You b-both deserved s-so much…s-s-so m-much…"

And then he broke down into hysterics, sobbing, sniffling, hiccupping…Despite the hatred I felt for this man, I pitied him. He really regretted what he did. And as the rain plinked against the window in sync with my tears, I almost found it in my heart to forgive him. Almost.

After awhile, the sobs lessened, and then finally stopped. He breathed in and out, trying to collect himself. I bit my lip against the words waiting to pour out. He still had more to say.

"Awhile back I decided I would try to find you," He began again. "Even if you had been adopted to some family in another state, I would find you…And then, I saw you in the mall today, and everything just hit me. The sorrow, the self-hatred, the pain, oh the pain...I'm so sorry I put you through all that. I can't apologize enough for what I did to you, you and your mother. I know my apologies mean nothing, and you're still going to hate me, but…I'm sorry. I'm just...so sorry..."

I frowned, my eyes downcast. Hearing this man, my biological father, practically prostrate himself over the phone wasn't as satisfying as I had played it out to be. It was heart wrenching, if it was anything at all. But my heart was frozen over and unfamiliar to mercy, and that was mostly his fault.

I wasn't done with him. Not yet.

"Is that it?" I questioned frigidly.

"Huh? What do you mean?" He sounded confused. How cute.

"You know very well what I mean," Acid dripped from every word that left my mouth. "Is that it? Are you finished?"

"Yes," He said quietly, accepting his fate. "Yes, I'm done talking."

"Good," I spat. "Good, because I'm done listening."

Then I slammed the phone down on the receiver.

A special thanks to:

Thank you Destineyrose18, inTHEgrid is where i live, horsebookworm, Indigo Bluu, Rock'xanne, Readerfreak10, RIP MuM i love you so much, Element Girls, Lady Venya of the isle, shadowphoenix101, Sasha, and Heath for reviewing Chapter 8. Really, I can't thank you all enough for your nice comments! And I think, if I'm not mistaken, that this chapter is one of the longer ones. Yay me! (Lol.) Anyway, I hope it read well for you! Ttfn.