Disclaimer: Seriously guys, why would you even think that I owned Sky High. I clearly do not look like anyone who comes from Disney.

Title: The Voice of Peace

Author: Silverflare07

Summary: The voice of Warren Peace and his thoughts of the events of the movie, his new found best friend and said best friend's girlfriend. It had started out as just another peaceful day... Will/Layla pairing

Author's Notes: I've seen quite a few Sky High fics were Warren ended up falling for Layla the whole time he was helping her make Will jealous and, while I have nothing against the Warren/Layla pairing, I really never thought that. I honestly believe he just wanted to get at Stronghold, if only because Will's so fun to pick on! LoL. Anyways, here's what I came up with.

Stuff You Need To Know:

"Talking"

Thoughts

Everyone assumes the worst about me, ya know?

They see me walking down the hall and it's like 'Oh look, there goes Warren Peace. He's bad news. He's mom's a superhero and his dad's a villain.' But there's a reason my last name is Peace, not Battle.

Don't get me wrong; I like my dad well enough. I even go visit him once a week in prison. And, when he's not in his revenge-on-the-world kick, he's pretty cool. He and my mom are really in love too. I wasn't just some accident that came about as the result of too much alcohol or rape. They wanted to have child so they did. Just like any other normal superhero family.

See my dad was on the verge of giving up the whole super villain thing and starting a new life with my mom and me in some town across country that had never heard of Barron Battle or Sky High. Except Stronghold's old man goes and puts him jail. So, yeah, obviously reformation is the last thing on his mind now.

But it's okay, me and Stronghold are cool.

We weren't for a while though, as I'm sure you're well aware. For a long time I didn't like Stronghold at all. And why would I? His old man was a jerk to my old man so, logically; one would assume he would be a jerk to me. But apparently his mom got more say in raising him then I'd expected cuz' he wasn't. Not that took the time to find out. So I hated him, he was scared of me, and it seemed like things weren't going to change.

Not that I was bothered by that because, seriously, I wasn't.

Then, of course, little powerless Stronghold powered up. Big time. He made the mistake of being targeted by those assholes Lash and Speed, and I made the mistake of thinking he would site by and let me roast his little sidekick friends. Or, more specifically, his little sidekick girlfriend.

Of course Layla wasn't his girlfriend at the time but it was her just the same. Not to say that he wasn't worried about Popsicle and the others, it's just that Layla has plant powers. And we all know what fire does to vegetation. So next thing I know I'm standing on a table that's been raised about 6 feet in the air, not something I was expecting. He powered up to make sure she stayed safe. And he still didn't get it. She risked herself (knowing full well that I could (and probably would) fry her for giving him that extinguisher) to make sure he won. And he still didn't get it. Even I got it. I've said it before and I know I'll say it again.

He's just so goddamn stupid.

So of course I was just a little curious to see her sitting by herself in the Paper Lantern. Or more like she was waiting for someone. About 8:30 I saw her wilt the flowers we put on the table and by nine I had to go and talk to her. She looked that pathetic. She asked me to sit down and from there the rest is history. I got her to admit her feelings for Stronghold and do something about them (or so I thought) and I patted myself on the back for it. It was my good deed for the month.

Next thing I know, we're going to homecoming together.

Layla and me, I mean. She sits down at my table (bringing all her sidekick friends with her) and just announces that she told Stronghold she was going to homecoming with me. Not with him, which was what was supposed to happen. Which was also, if I remember correctly (and believe me, I do) not part of the conversation we had had the night before. But I agreed to go with her to get back at Stronghold. And only to get back at Stronghold. I'm sure people though we had fallen for each other (and wasn't it romantic? The hero's best friend falling for is archenemy?) But we hadn't and I'm going to make on thing perfectly clear:

I was not, and will never be, in love with Layla.

She's nice and great as a friend, but way too happy for me. Anyways, you know the story from there. Stronghold's girlfriend turned out to be the psycho villain his parent fought, reborn. He realizes what a jerk he was and makes up for it by kissing Layla in front of everyone. I have to hand it to him; I didn't think he had the guts to do something like that. Anyways, he fights the bad guy, er girl, and wins. After getting punched out of a floating building and free falling hundreds of feet to certain death. Only to discover that he can fly.

He told me afterwards that the whole time he was falling he kept thinking about Layla. How he'd never get to see, or kiss, her again. Not about how his life was about to end. Not about how young he was to be dieing. Not about how his powers, which he'd been waiting so long to get, would never be put to truly good use. No, the only thing the sap could think about was Layla. And the next thing he knows, he's flying. Which got me to thinking about his powers and why they might have taken so long to show up, or rather why they showed up when they did. I'm about to fry his girlfriend and he gains his super strength. He's falling to his death thinking about his girlfriend, and he flies.

I halfway wonder if the first time they sleep together, he'll pop out with a new super power neither of his parents have. ...Wouldn't be the first time it's happened.

But I'm getting off subject (and less then pleasing mental images of Stronghold and Layla). The point of the whole endless monologue is that I'm beginning to suspect that, at least for now, she's the key to his powers. Eventually he'll be able to unlock them on his own, but until then it's almost like he relies solely on her.

Which is probably what makes this situation so amusing.

I was minding my own business, peacefully inside my house, when I hear what sounds like the uprooting of several trees. This, of course, gains my attention so I go out to investigate. And who should happen to come stalking past my house? None other than little miss Hippie herself; Stronghold following behind her as always.

Or, to be more specific, he's trying to follow her.

She's making it difficult, you see. He's having problems dodging the multiple apples that are, literally, throwing themselves at him. The sight's actually kind of funny, seeing Will Stronghold getting smacked in the face with a big red apple. Ooh...that's going to leave a mark. I wonder if I should intervene? After all, I know why she's mad and it really doesn't warrant fruit throwing.

"Come on Layla. Why won't you tell me what's wrong?"

Then again... (I cringe as he gets hit with a particularly large apple) ...maybe it does.

You see, Stronghold sort of...forgot their one year anniversary yesterday. Not on purpose, mind you. He'd been looking forward to it for weeks (believe me, he wouldn't shut up about it). But then this huge emergency came up in Japan, the day of their anniversary, and the Stronghold Three was needed. So...yeah, obviously whatever big anniversary ideas Layla had hoped for, well, they didn't happen. So now she's pissed.

And poor, clueless Stronghold has no idea.

"Come on Layla!" Stronghold pleads. "Just talk to me!"

I blink because suddenly Stronghold is lying flat on his back on the sidewalk in front of my house. He's being pinned down by five thick tree roots that, for all his super strength, he cannot break free of. He sighs as Layla keeps walking away. I have to hand it to her; the girl can sure hold a grudge. Stronghold wiggles his body in a vain attempt to get free and it's then that he notices me sitting a few feet away. His eyes widen in surprise and I grin.

"Hey Stronghold."

"Hey Warren." He sighs. "Do you have any idea why Layla's so mad?"

"Dude," I shake my head, feeling a vague sense of deja vu. "You are so stupid."

Will's head snapped up at this announcement and, I swear, his eyes grew about three sizes. "What?" He squeaked. "That last time you said that you told me she liked me. You're not going to tell me she wants to break up with me...are you?"

He looked so honestly devastated at the thought that I was tempted to say yes. Almost. I even I'm not that cruel. Not that I wasn't so kind that I minded watching him sweat it out a little bit first. What can I say; Stronghold's hilarious when he's nervous. So I sat there for a few seconds, giving him my best how-can-I-break-this-to-you face. Stronghold continued to squirm.

"Don't be stupid Stronghold." I grinned. "She's still totally into you. She's just pissed because you missed your anniversary."

Stronghold's brow furrowed. "No I didn't." I raised an eyebrow. "I didn't, I swear! It's today! I was going to fly her over to-"

"Dude," I repeated, cutting him off and not particularly caring. "Your anniversary was yesterday."

Stronghold's eyebrows shot up. "It was? B-but, we didn't...I mean I thought we became official the day after homecoming. I mean that's when we told everybody."

I shook my head. "Not according to your girlfriend. Most girls considered it the moment you establish the 'more then just friends' thing." I told him, quoting what Layla had told me when I was in the same situation with Freeze Girl (only it was out one month, and a VERY big deal for her).

...Yeah, I'm dating the Ice Princess of Sky High. But really, she's not that bad. But my love life isn't the one that's being strained at the moment, so back to Stronghold, who's looking like he's had an epiphany of sorts.

"They do?" He finally asks.

I nod. "Yup. So, in Layla's mind, your anniversary was yesterday, and you blew it off to go to Japan."

"But I was fighting a mutant monster! I was saving lives!" He cries, looking very much like he wants to wave his arms in exasperation but can't because he's still pinned to the ground via tree roots. "That's not fair!" He exclaims after a few seconds of silence. "How was I supposed to know that!"

I grinned again. "It's not supposed to be fair Stronghold. Fair or not, no matter the facts, what's in the girl's mind is what's right. Any man would be stupid to challenge that."

He groans. "I am so stupid."

"You finally get it." I grin. "Well," I stand up and stretch, more to rub in the fact that I can and he can't then anything else. "I'm off. I gotta go visit my dad."

He nods so I turn to walk back inside before: "Uh, Warren?"

I turned back to face my friend. "Yeah?" He gestures (as best he can) to his bonds. "Oh." I nodded. "Sure." I walk back over, generating just enough heat to send the roots retreating in haste.

"Thanks." Stronghold stands up and brushes himself off. "For everything."

I nod again. "No problem. Now, go fix your little mess while I go visit my old man."

"Yes sir, Mr. Peace, sir!" He mock salutes me then smiles before flying off after Layla.

"Damn straight cadet." I joke back (even though he can't hear me). I shake my head and walk back towards my house thinking I might just see what my dad's way of apologizing to my mom was.

...You never know, it might come in handy.

There you go! It's my first (and most likely only) Sky High Fanfic. I hope it came out okay and no one was to terribly OOC (although I guess you only really got to see Warren and some of Will).

Well, let me know what you thought.

R&R! Come on, send me a smile!