Author's Note:I really hope everyone enjoyed part one. I'll try to have these up frequently. I want my readers to like what I'm working on.

UPDATE: This is a revised version of this episode but I hope that doesn't make my readers mad. I'm just fixing grammar and continuity errors in the stories. I'm a perfectionist and I sometimes think it is not good enough for you guys. My readers mean a lot to me and I don't want to disappoint. I hope this doesn't affect your reading experience.

As you read, you might be thinking "Hey, you promised us Seddie!" Don't worry, it's coming! It's a marathon, not a sprint. Trust me guys, I know what I'm doing ... for the most part anyway. Also if you don't feel the relationship building between Freddie and Jane Louis, give it time. There's a method to my madness. There's no drama without conflict so chill.

Disclaimer: Like I've said before, I don't own anything under the ownership of Schneider's Bakery. I only own the characters I came up with. I also don't own any of the music I use for this series.

With that said, please enjoy part two!

•••

"When we quit thinking primarily about ourselves and our own self-preservation, we undergo a truly heroic transformation of consciousness."

Joseph Campbell

•••

Everything was white.

All Freddie could feel was pins and needles running through him. There were sounds around him as he began to wake up. Familiar voices.

Freddie opens his eyes fully and finds himself lying on the couch in the Shay loft. He was wearing the same clothes he wore the night he and Sam broke up.

He hears Carly, Gibby and Spencer heading up to the iCarly studio, discussing something about one of Gibby's cats. The elevator doors open and he sees Sam exit from the elevator. She was wearing the outfit she wore the night they broke up. "Oh good. You're up." She said to him.

"What happened?" He asked, taking in deep breaths.

"You don't remember?" Sam asked as she went over to the fridge to grab a snack.

Freddie had a flash of new memories race through his mind. Arriving in New York, meeting his father's sister Cassie Sinclair, meeting his new friends Millie Flores and Gabe Morgan, getting beat up by Ricky, meeting Jane Louis and the terrifying experiment conducted by Professor Dahl. The last memory was being struck by the powerful blast of electromagnetic bolt of lightning which causes him to grab his head in pain.

Freddie looks up at Sam who was making herself a ham sandwich with extra ham. "So?"

"I got struck by lightning." Freddie told her. He glances around the room, trying to understand what was going on. "Am-Am I dead?"

Sam laughs, not looking at him. "That's not how this works, Freddison."

Freddie looks a bit perplexed. He gets up from the couch and walks closer to her. "There's something I'm supposed to be doing."

"Yeah, miles to go." Sam said, still not looking at him. "Like lightning in a bottle."

Freddie stares at her. "When did you start speaking in riddles?"

She turns around to face him. "Sorry. Your head is filling up with new stuff. Kinda jumbled."

"So, this my mind?" He asked, his brain still fuzzy.

"Beats me." Sam replied, shrugging, which made Freddie laugh. She walks closer to him. "I do need you to do something though."

"Name it." Freddie replied with a smile.

Sam gets close to him and kisses him on the cheek. "You have to wake up." Sam backs away a few inches.

"What?" Freddie replied with a mixture of confusion and utter refusal.

Sam claps her hands in his face "Wake up!"

•••

Freddie wakes up in a start lying in a hospital bed. He lets in a few deep breaths as he feels a presence beside his hospital bed.

It was his aunt Cassie who was clutching a silver ring that was looped on a matching chain around her neck. Her hair was straight and she was wearing a short sleeved top with black pants and black combat boots. She looks over and sees that Freddie was awake.

"Oh god." Cassie said, breathing a sigh of relief. "Welcome back to the land of the living, kiddo."

"Wh-what happened?" Freddie asked, trying to get his bearings. "Where am I?"

"You're in the hospital. They brought you here after the accident." Cassie told him. "How are you feeling?"

"Like my insides are on fire." Freddie said as he tried to sit up which worries Cassie. He motions to let her know he was okay to sit up. "How-"

"How long have you been here?" Cassie guessed his question as Freddie nodded. "It would've been officially four days in about four hours if you hadn't woken up just now."

Freddie is still unnerved by his predicament. "You aren't, like, mad at me, are you?"

Cassie sighs. "At first I was. I was beyond angry at the fact that you almost got yourself killed. However, seeing as you did almost die, you get a 'Get Out of Jail Free' card on a count of big love and near death."

"Thanks." Freddie gives her a weak smile. "How many of those do I get?"

Cassie grins. "Three. You just used up one so-"

"I'll try to be careful not to waste the rest." He joked. As mad as she still was, Cassie could not help herself from smiling.

"You're incredibly lucky to be alive right now." She told him. "You know that?"

Freddie's gaze becomes distant. "You think so?"

Cassie smiles warmly at her nephew. Something was troubling him and she knew that.

Freddie realizes something. "Wait, does my mom know about this?"

"Um, she knows you were taken to the hospital." Cassie said as Freddie began to panic. "But I told her it was because you have an inner ear infection. She doesn't know why you're really here."

"She bought that?" He asked and Cassie nodded. "Okay. But why an inner ear infection?"

"It was the first thing that popped into my head. Sue me." Cassie stated as Freddie laughed.

"Knowing her, if she had found out the truth, she would've hopped on the first flight out here and dragged me back to Seattle." Freddie said frankly.

"Then believe me when I tell you she would have to go through me to get to you." Cassie told him which made him smile.

"Honestly, I'd pay good money to see that." Freddie quipped.

At that moment, there was a knock at the door as Gabe pokes his head in. "How's he doing?"

Cassie grins brightly as Freddie waves to his roommate. "You can ask him yourself."

Gabe smiles but is quickly pushed aside by Millie who pokes her head in. "Freddie?"

"Hey." He said quietly.

Millie opens the door and walks into the hospital room, wearing a loose-fitting orange floral top with red pants and her hair down. She goes over to Freddie and Cassie as Gabe walks inside as well, recovering from Millie's assault. He was wearing an army green T-shirt with his black leather jacket and blue jeans.

"Haven't you heard of the phrase 'excuse me'?" Gabe asked, rubbing his shoulder as Millie looked at him. "Think you dislocated my shoulder."

"Well it's a good thing we're in a hospital then. And when did you start giving etiquette lessons?" Millie quips as she turns back to Freddie. "How are you?"

"Good. Starting to get the feeling back in my legs." Freddie told his friends. He sees his friends were also shaken up by their ordeal.

"You're one lucky guy, Benson." Gabe told his friend.

Freddie sighs as he turns to Millie who looks anxious. "Of all people Millie, I was kind of expecting a hug from you."

"I just don't want to hug you and accidentally pull anything." She said nervously.

"You're not gonna pull anything." Freddie replied, opening his arms for an embrace. Millie hugs him only to have him yell out in pain. "Ah!"

"Oh! No! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" She yelps in fear.

"Psyche!" He replied which caused Millie to glare at him. Gabe laughs at this as Cassie stifles her laughter by biting her lip.

"That wasn't funny!" Millie snaps.

Gabe just shakes his head. "Good to know that super lightning didn't fry your sense of humor."

At that moment, a doctor walks into the room. He was of Hispanic descent with curly dark brown hair. He sees that Freddie was awake. "Mr Benson. Good to see you've finally woken up."

"It's a relief to all of us, Dr Mendoza." Cassie said to him.

Freddie grins weakly as Dr Mendoza walks over to him. He begins to examine him by checking his pupils. "Do you know how lucky you are to be alive, Mr Benson?"

"It's been mentioned a few times." Freddie replied, looking to his friends and his aunt.

"Young man, you survived a direct lightning strike that hit you in the center of the chest." Dr Mendoza explained, checking Freddie's vitals. He then proceeds to pull up his shirt to show the lichtenberg figures spidering around the place he was hit. "To speak quite frankly, you should be a bloody smear on that roof."

Freddie looks down at the wound, stunned at the sight of the odd sight of the markings.

Cassie, Millie and Gabe look at Freddie as the doctor continues his examination. "Doctor, do you think it'd be possible for Freddie to be able to leave the hospital today?" Cassie asked.

This statement catches Freddie's attention as Dr Mendoza finishes up. "Well, I've detected no physical abnormalities. Freddie has a strong heartbeat and seems to show no signs of any thermal burns which is incredibly surprising considering. The only outward signs are the lichtenberg figures on your chest." The four waited for an answer. "He's free to leave whenever he feels he's ready."

"I'm more than ready." Freddie said excitedly.

"Good, I'll have a nurse get your release forms ready." Dr Mendoza said as he made his way out.

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Gabe asked, breaking the silence.

Freddie blinks. "What's a bad idea?"

"Seems like you're getting out of here too soon." Gabe points out. "Shouldn't you rest up to at least get to one hundred percent?"

"I hate to admit it but Gabe's right. We're not even sure your legs are working properly." Millie stated with mild concern in her voice.

Freddie sighs and slowly gets off the bed. Both his feet touched the floor and, despite his slight wobbliness, he stood up straight. He looks at his friends with a grin. "See, I'm fine."

"Well that settles that." Cassie stated. "Gabe, do me a favor and grab some clothes for Freddie? I gotta make sure to fill out the release forms."

Gabe sighs and looks at her. "All right, fine."

"I'll go with you." Millie volunteered as she follows him out of the room.

Freddie stares at his aunt and the two share an understanding. They both didn't like hospitals.

•••

Several hours later, Freddie came out from the bathroom in his room, he was out of his hospital gown and dressed in a gray polo shirt with dark jeans. He was still trying to process what had happened to him, surviving something that should have killed him. The more important question running through his head was why did he survive. There had to be a reason why. He breathes deeply when there's a knock at the door, making him lose his train of thought. "I'm almost ready, give me a sec."

The door opens and he looks up to find Jane Louis entering the room with a brown paper bag. She was wearing a black top with loose bell-sleeves and pink jeans with black high heels. "You're awake."

"Jane?" Freddie asked. "Hi."

"Hey." Jane looks happy to see he was awake. "How are you doing?"

"Uh I'm- I'm doing better. All things considered." He replied. "What are you doing here?"

Jane walks completely into the room. "I came to see you."

"I know that… I think. I mean, I hope so." Freddie told her with a small chuckle in his voice. "What I meant was how did you know I was in the hospital?"

"When you didn't call me after the party, I tried calling you but you didn't answer. I got a little worried." Jane explained. "Then I heard about what happened on the roof of the library. A science experiment gone wrong. I remembered you told me you were going to help a professor with an experiment."

Freddie remembers this. "Right, I did tell you that."

"I came to the hospital looking for you to find out if you were all right and ran into your aunt, she explained everything." Jane told him. "I've been showing up here since then. Hoping that you would wake up."

"Really?" Freddie asked, sounding surprised.

"Well, you do still owe me a lunch date but I'll wait for my prize as soon as you're up to it." Jane said with a smile.

"I'm just glad you didn't think I stood you up." Freddie replied, which makes Jane smile. "What's everyone at school been saying about what happened?"

"Not much, City Tech is being very secretive about it." She replied. "Think they're trying to hide this from the public."

"Guess it would be bad PR to find out a student got struck by lightning and nearly died on campus." He stated with sarcasm in his voice.

"I don't think it had anything to do with you. Think it had something to do with that professor guy." Jane said.

"Professor Dahl?" Freddie had forgotten about the unbalanced professor who was grievously injured during the botched experiment. "What about him?"

"All I've heard is that the guy had been let go from his teaching job months ago." Jane explained.

Freddie was taken aback. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You sure?"

"They're saying he had become obsessed with his experiments and put a few of his students at risk." Jane told him. "The guy had been hiding on campus inside the library ever since he was fired."

Freddie was dumbfounded, how could he had been so stupid for trusting Professor Dahl. Granted, something about him didn't feel right. Maybe he should've trusted his instincts.

"Um, what's that?" Freddie asked Jane, pointing to the brown paper bag.

Jane looks at the bag and at him. "Oh, I got you a get-well gift." She opens the bag and pulls out a small box, handing it to him.

Freddie opens the box and finds a black metallic arm band with two Japanese characters on them. "What's this?"

"Yesterday, I saw a street vendor selling these. It was this old Japanese woman who told me her bracelets offer the wearer good luck." Jane explained as she takes the bracelet and places it on Freddie's right wrist. "I know it seems bogus but it never hurts to have all the luck you can."

He grins as she finishes fastening the bracelet. "What do the characters stand for?"

"She told me they stood for Raijin who's the Japanese god of thunder and lightning." She said as Freddie raised an eyebrow.

"You pick it out?" He asked Jane.

"Actually she did. She told me that you are now connected with Raijin himself. I thought it was strange she said that but she was blind and didn't want to offend her." Jane said.

"I appreciate the thought, thank you." Freddie replied.

She smiles and takes his hand. All of a sudden, an arc of electricity shocks her and causes her to rear back in pain. "Ow!"

"Oh man, what happened?" Freddie asked her.

"You shocked me." Jane replied laughing a bit. "That's some killer static electricity."

"Yeah, static electricity." Freddie replied, still thrown by what had happened. "Sorry."

"Relax, it's not like you can control electricity or anything." Jane said with a grin. Freddie laughs nervously. "I gotta get back to class. Call me when you can."

"I will." Freddie said as Jane leaves. He looks down at his hands, trying to figure out what just happened.

•••

In another part of the hospital, Emil Dahl laid in a hospital bed, heavily bandaged and restrained to his bed. There were two armed guards standing outside the door.

After his latest incident, the authorities were not taking any chances he'll get free and hurt anyone else.

Dahl looks down as his bandaged hand and sees something odd underneath the bandages, not his normal skin but something metallic.

His eyes widen in horror as his eyes spark with energy. He begins screaming like a mad man

•••

Freddie enters his dorm room followed by Gabe, Cassie and Millie. He sees that his stuff had been put away as he turns to face Cassie. "Did you do this?"

"Well, I had to do something after visiting hours were up." Cassie told him. "I had help though."

Freddie looks at his friends and smiles. "Listen. With everyone being so worried about me, maybe I should be the one asking how you guys are doing. How are you guys doing?"

Millie and Gabe stare at each other then look back at Freddie. Millie spoke up first. "There was a split second we thought you weren't going to make it."

"It takes a lot to freak me out, Benson." Gabe replied. "And with all honesty, you scared the crap out of me."

"It scared all of us." Cassie replied as Freddie turned to look at her. "We aren't speaking in hyperbole when we say 'you're lucky to be alive'. We mean it."

Freddie closes his eyes and rubs the bridge of his nose with his left hand. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door.

"I'll get it." Gabe said, making his way to the door. He opens it and finds a tall man of Filipino descent wearing a dark suit. "Oh. It's you."

"Good to see you too, Gabriel." The man said to him.

Millie and Cassie recognize the voice and Millie walks towards the door. "Dad?"

"Sweetheart, what are you doing here? I thought you'd be in class." Her dad replied.

"Classes let out early. You'd know that if you'd ask." Millie said.

"Millicent, now isn't the time for this. I'm working." He told her as he looked at Freddie. "I'm Detective Victor Flores, I'd like to ask a few questions about what happened Monday night."

"We've already answered all of your questions the night of the accident. What else do you need to know, Detective?" Gabe answered.

"I was made aware that the third victim of this accident had awakened from his coma." Victor said, referring to Freddie. "If you are up to it, Mr Benson, I'd like to ask you a few questions."

"Um… okay." Freddie replied nervously.

"Mr Benson, did you have any prior knowledge of Emil Dahl's experiment?" Victor asked him.

"I was only aware that it had something to do with an operational Tesla coil." Freddie told him. "We only met him that afternoon. We didn't know much about him before then."

"And you didn't know that it was a high powered device?" Victor said, sounding bitter which the others noticed.

"No sir, the variables weren't made known to us until we had arrived on the roof." Freddie stated. "By then, it was already too late to prevent any kind of damage caused by the energy the coil produced."

"Including the injuries you sustained?" Victor asked.

"Yeah." Freddie answered, becoming mildly agitated. The lights in the room flicker which Cassie, Millie and Gabe notice.

"One last question, did you not realize the danger you had put the others in your company?" Victor asked, becoming spiteful. "How incredibly reckless that was?"

Freddie glares at him, he didn't like the tone he was taking. "Excuse me?"

"Victor, may I have a word with you." Cassie replied, sounding extremely ticked off. "Now!"

Victor follows Cassie out of the dorm. Millie walks over to Freddie and puts her hand on his shoulder.

"I'm really sorry. My dad can be a jerk sometimes." Millie replied.

Freddie fakes a smile. He gets up and goes to the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.

•••

Outside the dorm, Cassie was face to face with Victor. The fuse had been lit and she was ready to go off. "What the hell was that?" Cassie asked.

"I was doing my job, Cassie." Victor told her.

"Really, 'cause sounded to me like you were interrogating him, not questioning him." Cassie asked angrily. "My nephew survived something that should've killed him. Would it kill you to have some kind of compassion?"

"His actions put my daughter in harm's way, Cassandra." Victor said to her.

"I thought that you could separate duty and your family, Vic?" Cassie snapped at him. Victor glares at her. "I understand you're extremely protective of Millie after what happened to Yvette but don't attack my family to do it because you know full well that you won't win that fight."

Victor nods at Cassie. "Ever the pitbull, aren't you Cassie?"

"And you know full well that my bite is way worse than my bark." She told him.

"I'm aware." Victor replied as he handed her a business card. "Tell your nephew to call me if he remembers anything else. I promise that I won't be as hostile as I was. Tell Millie I'll be downstairs waiting to take her home."

Cassie nods as she walks back into the dorm, closing the door in Victor's face.

•••

Freddie was pacing around the bathroom, still feeling agitated. He didn't understand why he was feeling like this. He's normally more calm and even tempered when dealing with someone getting in his face. Maybe this was post traumatic stress disorder or something like it that was making him feel this way. He hears a knock on the door. "Freddie, are you okay?" Cassie asked through the door.

"I'm fine. Give me a minute." Freddie called out.

Freddie turns on the sink faucet and he places his hands underneath the running water... until he rears back in pain. He looks down at his hands and sees arcs of electrical energy coming from his fingertips.

His eyes widened in horror at the sight. Freddie took deep breaths and shut his eyes, hoping this was just his imagination. He slowly opens his eyes and sees the energy is gone.

He quickly turns off the faucet and walks out of the bathroom.

Cassie was sitting on his bed and Millie and Gabe were gone.

"Where is everybody?" Freddie inquired of his aunt.

"I kinda chased the good detective off and Gabe escorted Millie downstairs. Her dad's taking her home." Cassie said.

"Those two are together and they haven't tried to kill each other yet?" Freddie stated as he sat down next to her.

"They've been a bit more civil around each other." she replied. "Ever since-"

"My accident?" Freddie said frankly. Cassie was surprised by how calm her nephew was. "You don't have to walk on eggshells just to spare my feelings. I'm okay. You don't have to worry so much, all right?"

Cassie nods "Okay."

"If anything, this is kind of your fault." Freddie said with a smile.

"Excuse me?" Cassie scoffed.

"You told me to seize the day, remember? I carpe diemed and look where it got me." Freddie joked.

"So, this means you're feeling better then?" She asked him, a mischievous smile forming.

Freddie nods "Yeah, why?" Suddenly, Cassie punches him in the shoulder. "Ow!"

Cassie gives her nephew a warm hug. "Don't you ever scare me like that again, okay?"

Freddie stares at his left hand, still freaked out by what had happened to him in the bathroom. "I promise I won't."

•••

Gabe and Millie exited the elevator on the first floor of the Hotel St George. The two of them remained quiet the entire elevator ride and were still silent until Gabe spoke up when he saw her dad waiting for her outside. "I see there's no love lost between my family and your dad."

"Can you really blame him?" Millie said, seeming to be distracted.

"What's wrong?" He asked, noticing her agitation. "Something is bothering you."

"I don't know what you're talking about?" Millie said, trying to hide something from him.

"And you have the World's Worst Poker Face." Gabe quips. "Out with it, Mills. What's up?"

"This is going to sound stupid." Millie began.

"Let me be the judge." Gabe said smugly. "Spill."

Millie lets out a deep breath then says what was on her mind that "You haven't noticed anything strange going on with Freddie?"

"As strange as the guy surviving getting hit by lightning?" Gabe asked. "Other than that, he's been pretty normal."

"I'm serious. Did you not see the lights flicker as my dad was questioning him?" She asked.

"It's an old building, Mills. The wiring must be shot." He said, making excuses. Millie raises an eyebrow. "Of all people, I never would've thought you would make the leap to the 'he must have gotten super powers' theory."

"And I'm surprised you haven't, Mr 'I Own Every Copy of The Amazing and Spectacular Spider-Man.'" Millie quips. "Freddie survived a laboratory experiment gone wrong, that's straight out of one of your comics or any movie nowadays. Come on, there's more to this and you know it."

Gabe lets out an exasperated breath. "Tell you what, if I see anything weird between now and the next time I see you, I'll let you know."

Millie pokes him in the chest with her slender index finger "You'd better." She exits the hotel and hugs her dad as he observes them talking.

Gabe lets out a sigh and heads back into the elevator.

•••

Gabe enters the dorm and finds Freddie doing some class work. "Oh, oh no." Gabe says, which catches Freddie's attention and Freddie looks up. "You are not seriously studying right now."

"I'm like three days behind. I do have to catch up, you know." Freddie told his roommate.

Gabe walks over to him and closes the textbook Freddie was reading from. "You just got out of the hospital, Benson. The least you can do is give your brain some much needed non-chemically induced rest."

"And what do you purpose I do?" Freddie asked.

"How about we grab something to drink, think there's a Groovy Smoothie just around the corner from the hotel." Gabe said tossing Freddie his jacket.

Freddie gives in and puts on his jacket. "Fine, but you're buying."

Gabe laughs as they head out the door.

•••

Cassie was walking back to her apartment, still relieved that Freddie was awake and okay. She still couldn't believe how lucky he was. Part of her felt like something was troubling him. She'd give him some breathing room before she starts asking him questions.

"You're back." A voice called and Cassie turns around to find Pete Sawyer standing outside of the open door to his apartment.

Cassie smiles at her handsome neighbor. "I am. Thanks for noticing."

"How's your nephew?" He asked "Has Freddie gotten any better?"

"Actually, you'll be happy to know, Freddie finally woke up." Cassie told Pete.

"That's great. Is he still at the hospital recovering?" He asked

Cassie shakes her head. "Nope. He's left the hospital and has gone back to his dorm."

"Whoa, kid bounced back quick." Pete exclaimed.

"Tell me about it. It must be in the genes." Cassie replied. "Resiliency tends to run in his father's side of the family."

"So what runs in his mother's side?" Pete asked curiously.

"Irrational neurosis." Cassie joked, causing Pete to laugh. "So, um, you mind if I ask you a question?"

"Feel free." He retorts.

"Why do you seem so interested in how my nephew is doing?" Cassie asked. "No offense but the condition of your neighbor's relatives shouldn't have to be your top priority."

Pete nods, understanding her point. "I saw how it was affecting you. For the past few days, you've been coming home from the hospital as if the weight of the world was resting on your shoulders. Figure you wouldn't mind someone taking some of that burden off you for a moment."

"Wow." Cassie said, sounding mildly impressed.

Pete raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"That is honestly the most forthright answer I've ever heard from any guy regarding any sort of question I've asked." She said smiling. "It's like you are trying really hard to be my knight in shining armor."

"Just trying to be a good friend. Besides, it wasn't like I was expecting the Spanish Inquisition." He replied with a laugh.

"Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition." Cassie stated but after a moment realized what she had said. "I said that out loud, didn't I?"

Pete nods. "Yeah."

"Jeez, I don't know why I say words." Cassie said, facepalming her forehead.

"No, it's okay. It was actually kind of adorable." Pete replied, which made Cassie smile. "It just so happens that I am a big fan of Monty Python."

"Please, you're talking to the girl who wore out a VHS copy of 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' because I watched it so many times when I was a kid." Cassie bragged. "I've even seen Spamalot on Broadway twice."

Pete smiles with amusement. "You haven't by any chance had dinner, have you?"

"No I haven't, I left Freddie's dorm in such a hurry, I neglected to pick up anything." Cassie stated. "Why do you ask?"

"Well I was wondering if I could take you across the street and invite you to dinner." Pete replied. "Unless you think I'm being too forward."

Cassie giggles softly. "I would be more than happy to join you for dinner."

Pete smiles as the two of them walk out of the hallway together.

•••

Freddie and Gabe were inside the Groovy Smoothie that was close to the Hotel St George. They each had a smoothie in front of them but Gabe seemed reluctant to drink his. Freddie sipped some of his and saw his roommate's hesitance. "Dude, just try it. It's a weird combo I know but it's not that bad."

[Soundtrack Note: "Roots" by Imagine Dragons plays on the speakers of the restaurant]

"Then why didn't you order one too?" Gabe asked.

"I felt like a Strawberry-Banana. Come on, would I steer you wrong?" Freddie asked.

"Maybe, I've only known you for four days and three of them you were in a coma." Gabe quipped. Freddie gave him a withering look. "Fine." He sips the smoothie and a surprised look falls on his face as he finishes drinking. "Dude!"

"Exactly!" Freddie exclaimed.

"Who would've thought mango, wheatgrass and peanut butter made a good combo." Gabe said. "How did you come up with it?"

"Wasn't me. Sam was trying to prank by having T-Bo mix those things together. Joke was on her because I actually liked it." Freddie told him. "And then she got herself some payback by pushing me into a bike messenger."

"Dang, that Puckett girl is hardcore." Gabe replied.

"You have no idea." Freddie laughed. "The irony here is that the incident caused her to start to have feelings for me. Least that's what she told me."

Gabe shakes his head as he sips his drink again. He looks up and sees Ricky (the guy who beat the two of them up on Monday) enter the GS with two of his buddies. "Freddie, I'm thinking we need to make a hasty exit."

Freddie turns around as Ricky sees the two of them. "Yeah, I think it's a little too late for that."

Ricky grabs a chair and sits between Freddie and Gabe. "Are these seats taken?"

"Nope because we were just leaving." Gabe said as he and Freddie got up to leave. Before they could go, Ricky grabs Freddie and Gabe by their shirt collars.

"No, stay. We're all friends here." Ricky said, turning Freddie to face him.

Freddie stutters to find words due to his nerves "I don't have time for this. I just got out the hospital-"

"Oh, was it because of something I did, precious?" Ricky joked.

"No, you know about that guy who got struck by lightning on the roof of the library." Freddie explained as Ricky nodded. "That was me." That statement caused Ricky and his friends to become puzzled. "So frankly, I'm not in the mood to start anything with you."

Freddie manages to get free so he and Gabe can leave the Groovy Smoothie. "Hey, I wasn't done talking-" Ricky goes to grab Freddie again only to have Freddie quickly grab him by his shirt collar and shove Ricky against a wall.

"Wrong guy, wrong day." Freddie hissed as he held a firm grip on Ricky, holding him up a good seven inches off the ground.

Ricky stares wide eyed at Freddie as his friends, the other patrons and especially Gabe stare at this sight quite bewildered. Freddie is a good 5'7 while Ricky is almost 6'3. The fact Freddie was able to do this was a phenomenal feat to behold.

"Benson?" Gabe spoke to get through to his friend. "Freddie? Freddie?!"

Freddie snaps out of the surge of adrenaline that went through him. He realizes what he's doing and lets go of Ricky who falls to the floor.

Ricky's friends go to help him up but Ricky shoves them away as he stares at Freddie with sheer horror on his face. "Freak" was the only word he uttered before leaving the Groovy Smoothie with his friends in tow.

Freddie was shell shocked by what he had just done. He stares at his hands then back at Gabe who hands Freddie his smoothie which he takes. Freddie begins to walk out of the GS as an eight year old boy taps Freddie on the arm.

"Mister, how did you do that?" The boy asked.

Freddie came up with a bogus answer. "Eat your vegetables." With that statement, he left.

"That's what my mom always tells me to do." The boy exclaimed.

Gabe laughs nervously as he follows Freddie out. "Millie will never let me hear the end of this one." he mumbled under his breath as he exited the restaurant.

Freddie begins to walk across the street but is suddenly racked in pain and stumbles to knees. He starts feeling light headed and tries catching his breath. He stares at his right hand and sees it sparking with electricity.

A loud honking is heard as Freddie looks up to see a man driving an expensive looking car was aggressively blaring his horn.

"HEY, KID! GET OFF THE ROAD!" The man shouted.

Freddie grimaces in pain as he feels a presence grab him by the shoulder and take him to the sidewalk, letting the frustrated motorist drive off.

"Gabe, thanks. I don't know-" Freddie turns to find it wasn't Gabe but a complete stranger standing next to him. It was a nineteen year old young man with short dark brown hair and intense brown eyes, wearing a red plaid shirt, blue jeans and sneakers. "Oh, um- sorry." He gulps to catch his breath. "Thought you were… someone else."

"It's fine but you should be careful. You could've been mowed down by a speeding car." The young man told him.

"I'll keep that in mind." Freddie replied. "Thank you."

"No problem, just being a good Samaritan." The young man said as Gabe runs over to Freddie but sees his friend wasn't alone.

"Dude, are you okay?" Gabe asked Freddie, sounding worried.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Freddie breathed. "I just got dizzy. That's all."

Gabe pats Freddie on the back when he realizes the young man was gone. "Looks like your knight in shining plaid is gone."

Freddie looks around and sees this as well "Huh, guess so."

Gabe helps Freddie stand up straight and props him up by placing his arm around his shoulder. "Let's get back to the dorm. Think that taking you out was a bad idea."

"Hey, you wanted me to get some fresh air." Freddie huffed.

"Well, my ideas aren't always stellar." Gabe joked which made Freddie laugh weakly.

From behind a mailbox, the young man watches the pair leave. He was interested in what was going on with Freddie when a hand taps him on the shoulder. The young man turns around and finds a seventeen year old young woman with short jet black hair with matching skinny jeans and a Ramones tee to go with it.

"Hey, who are you stalking?" the young woman asked as she hands him one of the coffee cup she was holding in her hands

"No one too important." The young man replied as the two began to walk the opposite direction.

"Didn't seem that way to me." The young woman stated, sipping on her coffee.

"Reading too much into it, Moon." The young man remarked, nonchalantly drinking his coffee.

"Well, I learned it by watching you, Maxwell." 'Moon' stated which made 'Maxwell' laugh and the two blend into the crowded sidewalk.

•••

At the hospital, a young nurse with short brown hair makes her way to Emil Dahl's room but sees no sign of the armed guards. She goes closer to the door and sees a puddle of blood running underneath the door.

The nurse is unnerved by this as she slowly opens the door. What she sees causes her to let out a bloodcurdling scream.

•••

Freddie was lying on his bed back at the dorm. He was trying to fall asleep but having difficulty. After he and Gabe came back to the dorm, Freddie worked on the classwork without so much as a peep from Gabe. Maybe what happened at the Groovy Smoothie freaked him out. It also didn't help what happened with that mysterious guy who saved him when he collapsed in the middle of the street. Thoughts wondered who that man was.

Freddie had so many thoughts racing through his mind. The strange occurrences that happened to him yesterday were taking their toll. What was happening to him?

Just as he shut his eyes to finally sleep, the alarm on his Pearphone rings to wake him up. Freddie groans with frustration. Part of him hated that Gabe was holding on to his phone the night of the accident, saving it from annihilation caused by the bolt.

Freddie looks over and sees Gabe wasn't in his bed. He hadn't pegged Gabe for a morning person.

Out of nowhere, Freddie began hearing strange electronic feedback in his ears. He grabs his ears in pain, hoping to drown out the noise but he realized the noise was in his head.

When the noise stops, he gets his bearings and heads into the bathroom.

•••

Freddie was standing next to the running shower, wearing nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. After the surreal moment with the sink faucet yesterday, he was worried about hopping in the shower.

Freddie takes a deep breath and quickly gets into the shower, shutting the shower door and throwing the tool over the door. Nothing happens. He breathes in a sigh of relief as he begins to wash up.

That peace however was short lived when Freddie's arms began to spark with electrical energy like they did yesterday.

•••

Freddie's howl of pain echoes as the lights in that floor flicker on and off.

A few students stick their heads out of their rooms and wonder what was going on.

•••

Millie and Gabe were in the main quad of City Tech. They both look troubled. Millie is wearing a short sky blue dress with a jean jacket over it and white flats and was pacing back and forth. Gabe is wearing a gray T-shirt with his black leather jacket over it and dark blue jeans with black boots and stood in place as he watched Millie pace.

Millie stops and turns to Gabe. "Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure, I was kinda there." Gabe replied.

"And he picked him up?" Millie asked, still in disbelief.

"Almost a foot off the ground. Freddie went all Batman on Ricky." Gabe told her. "And I'm talking Christian Bale Batman."

"There's a difference?" Millie replied quizzically.

"I'm going to pretend like I didn't hear that." He said to her as she rolled her eyes. "The point is that Freddie picked up a guy who outweighs him by thirty-five pounds and held him there."

"Did anything else happen?" she asked tentatively.

"Well, after we left, Freddie collapsed in the middle of the street. I think he could be the stress of the accident or- Anyway, some good Samaritan came and pulled Freddie onto the sidewalk before I could." Gabe explained. "Guy disappeared before we could get his name. Think it'd be the strangest thing that's happened but that might not be the case anymore."

"So, now do you believe me?" Millie asked.

"That there's a SLIGHT chance that Freddie Benson has gained superpowers?" Gabe stated and after a brief pause. "Maybe."

"What do we do?" Millie asked. "We can't just confront him. We don't know how he's going to react."

"Mills, relax. This is Fredward Benson, not Dr Bruce Banner." Gabe stated.

"You're lucky I saw the Avengers movie because I know who THAT is." She replied. "And not the weird movie with that chick from Kill Bill."

He ignores the remark. "Look, let's just bite the bullet and tell him we know. Maybe we can help him."

"How? We aren't equipped to handle this." Millie told him. "I think we should go to the authorities?"

"And tell them what?" Gabe asked until it hits him. "Wait a sec. You want to tell your dad, don't you?"

"No!" Millie replied but then said. "Maybe. I think he could help. He could contact people who can help him."

"Like the government? You can't be serious." Gabe replied, taken aback by this. "You want your dad to send a bunch of scary guys in dark suits after Freddie and have them drag him to some government facility so he can spend the rest of his life being poked and prodded like a lab rat?"

"You've seen way too many movies." Millie replied.

"I'm thinking like a scientist, Millie. What do you think is going to happen when a bunch of ego-centeric, fame hungry scientists get their hands on an actual 'superman'?" he asked her. She started weighing the scenario. "Do you think they're going to let him live his life as if he weren't different? No, they'll brutally experiment on Freddie until it either drives him insane or the process ends up killing him. Do you think that's the kind of help he needs?"

Millie bites her lip. He was right and she knew it. "I hate it when you make sense."

Gabe smiles. "Let's just talk to him and be supportive. That's what good friends are supposed to do, right?"

"Wow, you of all people are the one giving me a lecture on being a good friend?" Millie said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Did I walk into an episode of the Twilight Zone?"

"Strange times." Gabe said as he turned to see Freddie walking towards them.

Freddie was wearing a dark green button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbow and dark jeans. He looks rather pale but his hair was combed up a bit.

"Hey!" Millie said cheerfully.

Freddie waved, his body seeming to be racked in pain. "Dude, you all right?" Gabe asked his roommate.

"I'm fine." Freddie said, trying hard to conceal the pain he was in. His friends look concerned for their friend's condition.

"You don't like fine." Millie asked. "Hey, um is there anything you need to talk about?"

"Actually, right now I'd like to get to class if that's okay?" Freddie said as he went towards an academics building and he looked back at his friends. "You guys coming?"

"We'll be right there." Gabe said as Freddie walked off. "We talk to him after classes are done."

"No arguments here." Millie retorts as they go to follow Freddie to the academics building.

•••

Cassie made her way into a police precinct. She wore a black long sleeved top underneath her tan leather jacket and dark jeans with black boots. She tries to avoid the busy individuals rushing by her.

As she looks around, Cassie sees who she was looking for - Detective Victor Flores who was sitting at his desk reading a file.

"So, care to tell me why you dragged me out of bed before noon?" Cassie asked with mild agitation in her voice. "I'm a nite owl, Vic. I don't like my sleep cycle being disrupted."

Victor gestures to the chair in front of his desk. "Have a seat, Cassandra."

Cassie sits down in the chair. "You sounded pretty serious over the phone and judging by the look on your face, you didn't call me here for a friendly chat. What's going on?"

"Emil Dahl." Victor replied.

"The professor who was responsible for what happened to Freddie, Millie and Gabe? Also known as the man I'd like to mop the floor with... literally." Cassie said bluntly. She sees that his demeanor didn't change. This was serious. "What about him?"

"You were made aware of the fact that he was in police custody?" Victor replies and Cassie nods. "Last night a nurse found a pool of blood outside Dahl's room. She found out that Dahl had broken from his restraints and was nowhere to be found." He hands Cassie a few crime scene photos. "She also found the two guards who were brutally killed."

Cassie stares at the photos and lets out a gasp. "Are those-"

"Their heads, twisted clean off their bodies. I'm afraid so." Victor grimly said. "We believe Dahl was the person responsible for this brutality."

"How? I mean, seriously, this is physically impossible." Cassie stated.

"That isn't the reason why I contacted you." Victor told her. "We have reason to believe that he may be coming for the survivors of the accident, more specifically your nephew Fredward."

Cassie looks shocked. How was she going to be able to protect Freddie from a man who could commit this kind of violence and brutality?

•••

Freddie and Gabe enter one of the few classes they have together - computer engineering. Professor Jenkins, the class's instructor, was talking to a student. She was a stout woman in her late forties with long brown hair pulled back in a ponytail. She was wearing a navy blue pants suit.

The student she was speaking to turns around, indicating she was done speaking to the professor. The student looks at Freddie and Gabe as they see the student was Jane Louis. She sees Freddie and smiles brightly, walking over to the boys. "Hey."

"Hey." Freddie replied weakly.

"Are you all right?" Jane asked worriedly. "You look pale."

"I'm fine." Freddie told her. He looks over at Gabe. "I don't think the two of you have been formally introduced. Jane, this is my friend Gabe Morgan. Gabe, this is Jane Louis."

"Nice to meet you." Gabe said as he extends her hand which Jane takes and the two shake hands. "So you're taking computer engineering?"

"Yeah." Jane replied.

"But you're hot." Gabe bluntly said which causes Freddie to give him an annoyed stare.

"So there's no such thing as hot smart girls?" Jane replied.

Gabe tried to find words to make up for the slip up but became flustered. "I didn't- I wasn't- It's-"

"Real smooth, Casanova." Freddie joked which makes Jane laugh and causes Gabe to glare at him.

"If you must know, I got into this school based on my work with cybernetics and servomechanism." Jane gloated.

"That's impressive." Gabe replied.

"Thank you." Jane said as she looked at Freddie who was rubbing his forehead in pain. "Are you sure you're okay? You don't look so good."

"I said I'm fine!" Freddie yelled, catching Jane and Gabe off guard. He looks guiltily at her. "I'm sorry."

"No, it's all right. You've been through a lot." She told him as she saw the gift around his wrist which made her smile.

The students begin to get into their seats as Professor Jenkins begins to speak. "Class, today we'll be taking a look at the programming designs for your own applications for electronic devices which I assume is something most of you could do in your sleep." She looks up and sees Freddie who was opening a notebook. "Mr Benson, I've been made aware of your accident but don't think you'll be allowed a grace period-"

"I know." Freddie replied as he handed her his notebook. "Which is why I made plans for a retinal recognition application for the Pearphone. It allows for the user to gain access to certain items for instance contact information by doing a retinal scan."

Professor Jenkins didn't seem impressed. "And you came up with this-"

"Last night." Freddie said bluntly.

"Is that so?" She asked him as Gabe and Jane looked on.

Freddie nods. "Yes ma'am. I did."

Professor Jenkins nods in approval as Gabe whispers something to Freddie. "Hope this app works out better than the 3D tech you came up with."

Freddie rolls his eyes at his comment.

"Mr Morgan, care to share with us your application software proposal." Professor Jenkins replied.

"Well, Professor, I don't feel like blowing Benson's idea out of the water." Gabe said as he pulled out a sheet of paper. "But I've designed a frequency scanner that could check electromagnetic pulses of multiple ranges."

"And how would this be of practical use?" Professor Jenkins asked.

As Gabe explained his theory, Freddie began to hear the feedback he heard before. He looked around to try to pinpoint the noise but suddenly the noise began to sound like a transmission. A message.

'Can't w8 4 2nite'

It was someone's text message, but he was seeing it inside his head. How was he doing this? How was he seeing this?

After a moment, Freddie saw another one.

'Make it worth my while, doll'

The next message that he 'saw' made him giggle which caught the professor's attention.

"Mr Benson, is there something you'd like to share with the rest of the class?" She asked.

Freddie realized what he did and quickly covered his tracks. "Sorry, I was thinking of something I saw on 'That's a Drag', still can't believe that show got cancelled."

"Just make sure to keep your laughter to yourself." Professor Jenkins told him.

Freddie saw another message scroll through his mind's eye.

'Mills, we need to talk to him SOON! I think he's getting worse!"

He looks over at Gabe who faked a smile. Did he know something?

•••

After classes ended for the day, Freddie, Gabe and Millie enter the boys' dorm. The three of them both look as if there was something weighing at them. Neither spoke for a good minute until Freddie spoke up. "Go ahead. Whatever it is you two want to talk to me about, just go right ahead and ask."

Millie and Gabe stare at each other then back at Freddie. "How did you know we needed to talk to you?"

Freddie turns to Gabe. "I saw your text messages. The ones you've been sending Millie."

Gabe seems confused. "I never showed you any message."

"I-I can't explain it. It's like I saw the message in my head." Freddie explained. "I've seen other stuff - emails, text messages, I even saw a picture message a girl sent her boyfriend. It was her wearing bunny ears, a smile and not much else."

Gabe chuckles, imagining the picture. Millie gives Gabe a scowl then she stares at Freddie. "You're saying you saw his text message in your head?"

Freddie nods.

"I think I've read about that somewhere. Forgot what it's called." Gabe said as he tried to think when he snapped his fingers as if he had the idea. "It's called cyberpathy. The ability to intercept, generate, and interpret electronic, digital, and radio transmissions with one's mind."

"Where'd you read that? Uncanny X-Men?" Millie joked.

"No, Scientific American." Gabe replied. "They also say the only way to achieve this is to be able to access certain frequencies using electromagnetic pulses." They turned their attention back to Freddie who was biting his lip.

"That isn't the only strange thing that's been happening." Freddie told them.

Gabe spoke up. "Yeah, I already told Millie how you Hulked Out on Ricky yesterday."

"Let him finish." Millie orders Gabe as Freddie begins pacing around. "Freddie, what is it? What's wrong?"

Freddie turns to face his friends and holds up his hands. All of a sudden, his hands began to spark with arcs of blue electrical energy. Millie places her right hand over her mouth and Gabe stares at this with wide eyes. Freddie looks back at his friends, looking for confirmation.

"You guys are seeing this too, right? Because if you're not, I've officially lost my mind." Freddie said with his voice quivering with panic as the electricity continued running over his hands.

"Oh my God." Millie manages to get out.

"This. Is…. AWESOME!" Gabe exclaimed.

Millie shoots him a glare then she smacks him in the back of the head which makes him flinch in pain. "Not helping, Genius!"

All of a sudden, there was a knock at the door. Gabe rubs the back of his head and walks closer to the door, calling out "Who is it?"

"Gabe, it's Cassie! Is Freddie there?" Cassie's voice said through the door.

Freddie's eyes widen as he tries to shut off the electricity coursing through his hands. He wrings his hands as if that would help.

"Give me a minute, Cass." Freddie yelled in a panicked tone.

"Is everything all right in there?" Cassie asked.

The trio exchange concerned glances as Freddie tries shutting down the energy.

"Everything's fine. Just give us like ten seconds." He says the electricity subsidies and goes back into his body. He nods to Gabe to signal for him to open the door.

Cassie stands outside the door with her arms crossed over her chest and sees the three of them trying to play it cool. "Okay. What was that all about?" Each of them simultaneously tried to come up with an excuse but Cassie raised her left hand. "Never mind. Don't wanna know."

Cassie walks in and Gabe shuts the door behind them. "What's up, Cassie?" Freddie asked.

"Yeah, Mama Cass, you look like you've seen something you didn't want to see." Gabe replied.

"You'd be right on that one, Richie Rich." Cassie said as Gabe just smirks. She turns to look at Millie. "I just got back from your dad's precinct."

"Oh no, please tell me my dad didn't try to arrest you or anything, did he?" Millie replied with a concerned tone.

"No, no. Your dad and I are on equal terms right now." Cassie stated. "He gave me some bit of news that should be of concern to you three but more specifically Freddie."

"What is it?" Freddie asked.

"Emil Dahl escaped from police custody last night." Cassie told them. "A nurse found that he had broken out of his restraints and left the hospital."

The trio looked petrified - Millie let out a gasp, Gabe brushed the hair out of his face and Freddie stood there in silence.

"Are you sure?" Freddie spoke.

"Yeah... and it gets worse." Cassie stated. "Victor told me that Dahl could be looking for some payback against you guys."

The lights flicker again which confuses Cassie but worries Millie and Gabe.

"H-he was in no condition to be going anywhere, how did he escape?" Freddie asked as he was plagued with panic.

"To be honest, I don't know."rsee told them. "But that isn't the worst of it.

"How could it get worse than some lunatic professor on the loose who potentially has some kind of vendetta against us?" Gabe asks as Cassie pulls out her Pearphone.

After pushing a few buttons, she hands the phone to Freddie. "Victor showed me these crime scene photos. I snapped a few pics of them when he wasn't looking."

The three stare at the pictures in utter disbelief. "A-are those their-" Millie began but was stopped while trying to stop herself from gagging.

"Yeah, Dahl ripped their heads off. Almost like he twisted them clean off." Cassie said as Gabe took the phone from Freddie's hand.

"But that's... impossible." Freddie stated as he tried to piece all this together. "No human being can do that!"

The lights flicker again.

Cassie looks around. "There something going on with your lights?"

"Uh yeah, it's an old building." Gabe said covering for his roomie. "The breakers must be shorting out or something."

Cassie stares at them, she wasn't buying it.

"Gabe, it's okay. I have to tell her sooner or later." Freddie replied.

"Tell me what?" Cassie asked.

Gabe and Millie look on as Freddie holds out both his hands. "I think the lightning did something to me."

Cassie watches as Freddie's hands spark with arcs of electrical energy. His eyes began to glow with an electric blue aura that shocks Gabe and Millie. The energy from his hands began to form a small energy ball. Cassie, Millie and Gabe watch in awe as he claps his hands together and the energy disappears in a small burst.

Freddie lets in a few breaths of exhaustion. What he did took a lot out of him.

Cassie looks at him and gives him a warm smile. She walks over to Freddie and hugs him. "Cassie, I'm freaking out. Are you freaked out because I am freaking the freak out here."

Gabe raises his right hand "I don't think people say that."

"Don't make me smack you again." Millie threatens.

"It's gonna be okay, I understand what you're going through, more than you know." Cassie told him as she pulled away and looked at him dead in the eyes. "I'm going to help you. I promise."

"Like take me to some science lab where I get turned into a lab rat?" Freddie asked nervously.

Gabe gives Millie a look of confidence "And you thought I was crazy for thinking THAT?" Millie smacks him upside the head. "Ah!"

"Nobody likes a know-it-all." Millie said with a smirk.

"So… This doesn't freak you out?" Freddie asked with anxiety in his voice. "I mean, electricity is flowing from me and you're all acting like I've got a minor skin rash."

Cassie smiles "This might not be the most… conventional problem but if I am going to help you, I have to handle this as calmly as possible."

"We'll help you too." Millie replied, which caught Freddie and Cassie's attention.

"Yeah, no sense you having all the fun, Benson." Gabe replied.

Cassie looks at them then back at Freddie. She was sympathetic to her nephew's plight.

"Um, I really don't know what to say. You guys barely know me and you're all offering to help me." Freddie said, humbly.

"We aren't gonna turn our backs on you because you're a walking taser." Gabe joked.

Millie scowls at the wealthy young man but Cassie holds back her amusement and says "Feel free to tase him if it makes you feel comfortable."

Freddie smiles and nods "So, what exactly are you planning to do?"

"Nuh uh, Fredward. That's a surprise." Cassie said. "So, you guys want to grab dinner. My treat."

"Sure but my dad is expecting me to be home-" Millie began to say.

"Actually, after he told me about Dahl, he asked if I could look after you for the rest of the night." Cassie explained to Millie. "He's gonna be burning the midnight oil to catch him before he hurts anyone else."

"Your dad is trusting a stranger to look after you, he REALLY must be desperate." Gabe remarked.

"Um, Cassie has been a friend of my dad's for a while. She's not a total stranger to him." Millie stated.

"Huh, excuse me for thinking Vic was being spontaneous." Gabe said in a faux defeated tone.

"Say, can we order in?" Freddie suggested as he sits on his bed.. "I kinda feel weird going out until I get these… superpowers under control."

"Absolutely. I know this great Chinese place that delivers." Cassie stated as she pulled out her phone and dials one button.

Gabe stares at her puzzled "You have them on speed dial?"

Cassie shrugs "Yeah, got a problem with that, Blaine?"

Millie scoffs "No offense but no way he looks like 80s Andrew McCarthy."

"Some taken." Gabe said as Millie sticks out her tongue. "Besides, I am still better looking than any of the late 80s/early 90s heartthrobs."

"That's a matter of option, Ritchie Rich." Cassie said as she waited for an answer until a voice responded to her. "Hi, I'd like to place an order…"

Gabe goes to his side of the closet and pulls out a deck of cards. "Say, how about we play a game to pass the time till the food arrives."

"Sure, as long as it's not 52 Pick-Up. Bullies at elementary school used to play that game with my homework and I'm not really a big fan." Freddie tells the group.

"Nah, how about a friendly game of poker?" Gabe suggested as he sits on his bed.

"Oh no, Mr Poker Shark, you are not swindling any of us!" Millie stated as she plops down next to Freddie.

Gabe groans then relents "Fine, Go Fish more to your liking?"

"Now that is more my speed." Millie said with a teasing giggle.

Freddie gave a weak laugh as Gabe passed out the cards to the rest of the players "Can't believe you guys are being so cool about this. About me."

"Benson, just because you're the God of Thunder doesn't mean we're gonna treat you like it." Gabe replied teasingly.

"Yeah, you're still the same Freddie. Just with a little extra." Millie said, nudging his arm with his arm with her elbow gently.

Freddie smiles at his new friends "Thanks, guys."

Cassie hides a smile at the sight of this scene as she continues to order their dinner.

•••

That night after Cassie took Millie home and he and Gabe had gone to bed, Freddie was finally getting a decent night's sleep. After he talked with his friends and Cassie about his developing superpowers, a weight lifted off him. Spending normal quality time with the three helped him feel a bit better too. However, a new weight took the place of the one there before. Professor Dahl was now on the loose and had killed two people in an incredibly impossible way. Did his exposure to the electromagnetic field from the coil give Dahl powers like it did with him? If so, would his own powers turn Freddie into a homicidal maniac? There were so many questions but very little answers.

Freddie began having a strange dream. He was in a dark tunnel. It was cold and damp. Something told him it wasn't a good idea to be down there.

Unexpectedly, Freddie heard low sobs that sounded as if someone was crying. Freddie called out, sounding strange because of the echo. "Hello? Is someone here?"

He hears a faint female voice begging and pleading for their life.

"Please just let me go. Please!"

Freddie recognized the voice. "Millie? Millie, is that you?"

All of a sudden, a shrill bloodcurdling scream is heard and Freddie runs towards the screaming. He rounds the corner only to be shoved hard against the cement wall by an unknown force.

Freddie looks around, a deep gash forms on his forehead, as he sees a shadowy figure standing over Millie who was strapped to a surgical table. He tried to get to his feet but found his left leg was broken and caused him to fall sideways.

Millie struggles in vain to get free as the figure holds a metallic like surgical instrument against her face. Freddie gets a good look and sees it wasn't a surgical instrument, it was an elongated metallic finger.

"This'll only hurt for a second." The figure's voice said in an electronic sounding tone.

Millie screams in horror and the screaming causes Freddie to wake up from his nightmare.

Freddie sat upright and looked around, realizing it was only a dream. He sees a glowing electric blue light as he looks at his hands which were again sparking with electricity.

He looks over and sees Gabe is still sound asleep. He then looked back down at his hands and the energy had disappeared. He lies back down and tries going back to sleep.

•••

Gabe and Freddie were riding the subway Saturday morning, the day after Freddie revealed his condition to his friends and his aunt. There were no classes that day and Millie had the weekend off at work. Freddie looks around at the passengers on the train and something catches his eye: a man was reading a tabloid newspaper which the front page read 'Bronx gang members fear masked vigilante'. There was an art rendering of a man in all black with some green accents on his clothing and an odd looking mask covering his face. Looked almost like one of those Japanese Fox masks.

"What do you think she meant?" Gabe spoke up. Freddie was wearing a long sleeved T-shirt and sweatpants and Gabe wore a black shirt with blue jeans. Freddie seemed a bit distracted by both the odd headline from the paper and the strange dream he had the night before. Gabe snaps his fingers in front of him. "Earth to Fredward."

Freddie snaps out of it. "Sorry. I was somewhere else."

"I gathered that." Gabe joked.

"What were you saying?" Freddie asked.

"I asked you what do you think Cassie meant when she said she understood what you were going through." Gabe said. "I mean, she was really chill about the whole thing. Seems a tad odd don't you think?"

"It would have been, back when my life made sense. Now I'm not too sure." Freddie retorts as the train comes to a stop. "Is this our stop?"

Gabe nods as they and several other passengers get off the subway. "Cassie isn't exactly your typical adult. Most adults would have taken you to go to a doctor or something. What does that say to you?"

"She is the most calm parental figure I've ever had." Freddie told him. "Believe me, if that had been my mom, she would've taken me to a bunch of doctors to try to fix me. Anything to try to 'help me' even if it caused me a crap ton of pain."

Gabe laughs as they walk up towards the street levels of the city. "Maybe there's something Cassie isn't telling you."

"Maybe." Freddie replied. He looks around, keeping a watchful eye around him. Ever since finding out Dahl was out there, Freddie had become more aware of his surroundings. "Look, I'm just glad that I was able to take a shower this morning without screaming."

"Gotta appreciate life's little victories." Gabe stated.

Millie was waiting on the street and she sneaked up on the boys. "Hey guys!" This startles an unsuspecting Gabe but Freddie felt her coming. Millie giggles mischievously. "Whoa, didn't think that would work."

The boys give her a look of annoyance when Freddie's eyes furrow. "What's up, Benson?"

"Cassie's sending me a text of where she wants us to meet her." Freddie stated. Freddie's phone chimes, he pulls it out and shows it to Gabe and Millie. They see that the just received message was what Freddie said it was.

"No way!" Millie replied. "That's amazing."

"You're getting good at that." Gabe stated.

"Thought you guys weren't gonna treat me differently?" Freddie said jokingly.

"Hey, you do have to acknowledge your own new epicness so we'll be more than happy to do it for you." Gabe said and Millie nodded in agreement.

Freddie chuckles at the remark as the trio begins walking down the street until they end up near an abandoned warehouse. "This is the place."

Millie observes the condition of the building. "Did Cassie say why she wanted us to meet her here?"

"Well before she left yesterday, she said she wanted help me with my powers." Freddie told her.

The three of them look at each other as Freddie opens the door to the warehouse. They walk inside and see Cassie had set up a training area inside. There was an open area for sparring, and a makeshift firing range made out of glass soda bottles.

"What do you think?"

The trio looks around and find Cassie standing on an upper scaffolding. She was wearing a aqua blue sleeveless tank top and black workout pants with her hair pulled back in a ponytail.

"What is all this?" Freddie asked while Cassie walks down the stairs.

"I told you that I'm going to help you which is exactly what I'm going to do." Cassie replied.

"How?" Freddie asked.

"I'm gonna teach you how to fight." Cassie stated.

"Seriously?" He said with an incredulous tone. "How will that help me control my powers?"

"I've noticed that you're very tense. You don't get the chance to let out angry in a healthy manner." Cassie explained. "You've been that way ever since you were very little."

"That does explain the lights flickering whenever you get upset." Gabe answered. "You're an internal nervous wreck."

"I think that releasing that tension and channeling this energy will keep you from overloading... and shocking yourself when you get wet." Cassie retorts.

Freddie was interested in that prospect. "Fine but what about the- is that a firing range?"

"It wouldn't hurt to gauge your abilities." Cassie said. "Just so you can know what you're capable of. Also, I'll bet Gabe has been chomping at the bit to get a chance run his own tests on your powers since he found out."

Gabe seems offended "I have-" Cassie and Millie glare at Gabe. They don't buy it. He then admits it "Fine, I was going to ask but I didn't want to come off as insensitive."

"Perish the thought." Millie quips and Gabe rolls his eyes.

Cassie motions Freddie to enter the sparring arena as Gabe and Millie watch. "So… how do we do this?" Freddie asked his aunt.

"I'm gonna set one ground rule - you do exactly as I tell you. No exceptions or excuses." Cassie ordered him.

"Sure. What do you want me to do?" Freddie asked.

Cassie simply said. "Hit me."

Freddie looks reluctant and puts up his hands defensively "Whoa, I-I don't think I-" Without warning, Cassie slaps Freddie across the face. "Ow!"

"What did I tell you? Do as I say, okay?" Cassie ordered.

Freddie sighs as he swung at Cassie but she blocks his punches and she launches a few kicks which Freddie fearfully tries to avoid her kicks until he grabs her leg and he accidentally shocks her which causes her to rear back in pain.

Freddie looks apologetic "I'm sorry."

Cassie lets out a tiny smile. "Now I got something to work with. Let's go again."

Freddie nods, he wants to continue.

Freddie lunges at Cassie only to have her throw her nephew over her shoulder and out of the ring. Freddie grabs his shoulder and stares at Cassie. "Okay… ow."

"Don't quit now, kiddo. Give me a real fight." Cassie said, adding a motioning for him to come at her.

Freddie slowly got to his feet and the look of apprehension was replaced with one of enjoyment. He was having fun.

With that, he charges forward.

[Soundtrack Note -AWOLnation 'thiskidsnotalright' plays during this montage. Yes, it's a montage]

•••

Freddie stood in front of the homemade firing range. He looks nervous as he looks back at Cassie, Gabe and Millie who were behind a room standing in front of a glass window. "What's the point of this?"

"You need to develop precision." Cassie called out.

"Think of it as working on your sharpshooting skills." Gabe called out.

Freddie lets out a deep breath. "Okay, here goes." His hands fill with electrical energy and goes to take aim. He goes to shoot a soda bottle but his aim is off and hits the window where his friends and his aunt were in front of.

Fortunately they expected the lightning coming towards them and they duck out of the way. After a moment, the three individuals slowly look up at Freddie who was worried about what just happened.

He said the only thing he could say. "Sorry!"

Millie and Gabe stare at Cassie who swallows hard. "Practice makes perfect. Go again."

Freddie sighs and continues his target practice.

•••

Millie observes this from a distance as Cassie and Gabe place a heavy piece of metal siding in front of Freddie who was skeptical of this exercise. "You can't be serious."

"I have a theory. I think your power has supercharged your body and given you enhanced strength. I believe you could make a dent on the side of this." Gabe replied.

"And that's just a theory, right? What if you're wrong and I end up breaking my hand?" Freddie told them.

"It's called trial and error, my friend." Gabe retorts.

"And I'll take you to the emergency room if Gabe is wrong." Cassie reassured him.

Freddie sighs as Cassie and Gabe stood back a few feet. Millie walks over and stands a foot behind the metal side. He goes to punch it and actually punches through the metal, which causes Millie to yelp. Freddie stands in shock as he pulls his hand out. Gabe and Cassie walk over to the metal and observe the damage.

"Okay, that's different." Freddie said, rubbing his hand which didn't have a scratch on it.

•••

The gang spent the next three days training and testing his powers. After classes, they go back to the warehouse to continue their work.

Freddie seemed to be getting better in his sharpshooting as well as his sparring matches with Cassie, she still won though.

When he wasn't recovering from the tests and sparring with Cassie, Freddie was doing some research online. He read a few articles on electricity but became distracted by watching videos online. People doing martial arts like Capoeira and MMA fights, Kung Fu movies, even watching people doing Parkour (or free running). He watched these videos with intense concentration. His eyes flash with lightning as he watches these clips, almost like he was retaining the information much faster than normal.

•••

Freddie was trying to do pull ups on a hanging bar. He was having trouble. Cassie and Gabe were watching this and Millie was bored sitting on a chair. "I don't think I can do this." Freddie called out, still hanging from the bar.

Gabe comes up with an idea. "Try using magnetic energy to lift yourself."

Freddie looks at Gabe and he turns back. He closes his eyes as he begins to easily be able to do at least fifteen pull ups as an invisible field surrounds him.

Few minutes later, he starts doing pull ups in rapid succession until he gets bored and starts swinging back and forth until he dismounts from the bar and lands on the floor in an elegant way.

Millie claps, impressed by this as Cassie beams with pride.

Gabe simply said "Okay, you are going to practice doing that over and over."

Freddie is as surprised at his display of uncanny grace. He was surprising himself more and more everyday at what he's able to do.

•••

Freddie was standing in the sparring area. Cassie was next to a table with a few sharp knives. Gabe and Millie watch this while standing behind Cassie. "I'm going to be testing your speed and reflexes." Cassie told her nephew.

"Okay. I trust you." Freddie said nervously. After the last few days of tough training and studying, he was ready for whatever was going to be thrown at him, literally.

Cassie picks up a knife and throws it at him but Freddie dodges it. She picks up two knives and throws them at her nephew who quickly dodges them. She throws one more knife which would've been impossible to dodge. Out of nowhere, Freddie catches the knife with his right hand.

This action stuns Millie and Gabe but impresses Cassie. "Nicely done."

Freddie stares at the knife he had just caught with a look of disbelief.

•••

Gabe and Millie sat and watched Cassie and Freddie sparring only now Freddie seemed more confident. She goes for right-left combo punches only to have Freddie dodge each of them. Cassie smiles as delivers a few kicks which Freddie confidently avoids all but one which catches him in the abdomen and he is thrown to the ground.

Freddie lies on the floor, catching his breath. Cassie offers her hand to help him up. "Good job, 'A' for effort." Freddie took her hand but instead of letting her help him up, he used his momentum to toss her over his head. Cassie rolls and lands on her back as Freddie uses his legs to get up.

"Who said we were done?" Freddie said confidently as Cassie got to her feet.

Cassie grins as she charges at him but Freddie slides past her the opposite direction which catches Cassie off guard. He runs toward her and goes for a right cross but Cassie counters the move and pins his arm back. Freddie counters this by performing a leg trip takedown and he pins her to the ground.

"Whoa!" Gabe exclaimed as Millie remained speechless.

Freddie gets off his aunt who rolls up on her back, winded by the attack. She looks up at Freddie "Where did you learn to do that?"

"I saw it on the internet." Freddie answered, catching his breath. He offers his hand to help her up which she accepts.

[Soundtrack Note - Song ends]

•••

Freddie and Millie walk towards the entrance to the subway. "I still can't believe you were able to do that." Millie replied.

"I'm still having a hard time believing all the stuff I'm finding out I can do." Freddie told her. Despite everything that he's done in the last few days, Freddie and his friends hadn't forgotten about Dahl who the police were still looking for but couldn't find. "Are you sure you want to take the subway on your own?"

"I've been taking the subway by myself for most of my life. I'll be fine." Millie reassured him. "I have to go to work or Mr Luzoni will have my head."

"Yeah, but I just don't want you going anywhere alone. Especially with Professor Dahl still on the loose." Freddie stated.

"I know but if he was going to try something, he would've done so by now." Millie pointed out. "Besides, I've got my own personal superhero watching my back. Why should I be worried?"

Freddie smiles. "And you have WAY too much confidence in me."

Millie smiles and gently kisses him on the cheek but this causes a small spark of electricity to touch her lip. Freddie appears to be concerned.

"Oh, I am so sorry." He replied.

"It's okay. I'm fine." Millie told him as she regains her composure and started to go down to the stairs of the subway entrance. "You know, you gotta stop doing that."

"Sorry, it's involuntary." Freddie said to her.

"Not that. Saying 'you're sorry'" With those words, she walks away.

Freddie smiles and walks up the street.

•••

Millie ran to her train moments before it left. There were no seats left and was forced to stand. One of the passengers caught her attention. It was a man with a good over his head and was wearing gloves on his hands. Millie tried to ignore the odd passenger as the next stop came up and a few people left her car.

As the subway became dark as it went through a tunnel, Millie noticed the hooded man went from the end of the car to the middle. She was a little unnerved by this as the train came to it's next stop. More people left her car and the only people left were Millie, the hooded stranger and an old woman with white hair pulled back in a bun.

Millie pulled an object out of her purse and sat down next to the woman. "Is it okay if I sit here?"

The woman nodded as the train went through another tunnel. After the lights came back on, the stranger was sitting in front of Millie and the old woman.

Millie gasps as the train comes to a halt to signal another stop. The stranger's eyes spark with energy as he looks at Millie. The old woman gets up to exit the train and Millie begins to follow her out.

Suddenly, the stranger grabs Millie's arm. She saw the stranger's arm was metallic and so were some patches of skin on his face but she did recognize him - it was Professor Emil Dahl.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked in a menacing but metallic grain in his voice.

Millie quickly takes the object she took out of her purse - a can of pepper spray - and sprays Dahl in the eyes. He wails in pain as she gets free and runs out of the car. She runs onto the crowded platform and up to the streets above.

Dahl watches as she leaves and walks after her.

•••

Cassie drove Freddie and Gabe back to the Hotel St George. Freddie and Cassie look a bit bruised but no worse for the wear. "Seriously, I should start recording your sparring sessions." Gabe joked.

"Oh! You'd better not!" Freddie said to his friend.

"How about next time we have a sparring match between you and Millie?" Cassie retorts.

"No way! Don't let that face fool you, Millie has been taking judo since she was ten." Gabe replied. "And I bruise like a peach."

Freddie turns to his aunt. "I've been meaning to ask this for awhile, how did you learn to fight?"

Cassie bit her lip and clears her throat. "Um, your dad taught me how." Freddie was taken aback. "When we were growing up, he wanted me to be able to defend myself. So I wouldn't be anyone's victim."

"So, if my mom hadn't scared my dad away, he would've taught me how to do all that?" He asked.

"I don't know the reason why he left your mom but you would still be the same guy whether Lenny stayed or not." She reassured him.

Freddie's eyes furrow again as he pulls out his Pearphone. "I'm about to get a call from Millie." His phone rings as Cassie and Gabe see it is Millie calling.

"That never ceases to amaze me." Gabe said as Freddie answered his phone.

"Millie, what's up?" Freddie answered as he heard a terrified voice on the other end. "Slow down. What happened?"

"Professor Dahl attacked me on the subway." Millie told him and he became pale.

"A-are you all right?" Freddie asked as Gabe and Cassie became concerned.

"I'm okay. I pepper sprayed him and I managed to get away." Millie told him. "Th-there was something wrong with his face."

"What do you mean?" Freddie asked.

"It was like his skin was turning into metal." Millie told him which unsettled Freddie.

"Where are you?" He asked.

"I'm half a block away from Luzoni's." She stated.

"Um we'll be right there, Mills" Freddie told her.

"Okay." Millie quivered as she hung up her phone.

"What happened?" Gabe asked.

"Dahl attacked Millie on the subway." Freddie told them. "I knew she shouldn't have gone alone."

"This isn't your fault, Freddie." Cassie replied.

"How fast can you get down there?" Freddie asked his aunt as the three of them got back into the car.

"Depending on traffic, about twenty minutes." Cassie told the boys as she started the car and drove off.

•••

Millie enters the restaurant but it was empty which was odd. She looks around and calls out "Mr Luzoni? Are you here?"

She goes to the kitchen area of the restaurant and found no one to be found. She rounds the corner and finds the cook on the ground with a sizable hole in his chest.

Millie rears back in horror and goes looking for Mr Luzoni. She enters the walk-in cooler and finds Mr Luzoni lying on the floor. The overweight man in his late fifties with white hair was just lying there. She bends down and checks his pulse, he was thankfully alive.

Millie pulls out her phone and dials 911.

"911, what is your emergency?" a dispatcher asked.

"I-I found a body inside Luzoni's Italian Eatery. He's dead. I also found my boss in the walk-in cooler. He's alive but he is unconscious." Millie told the dispatcher.

"Does he have any injuries?" The dispatcher asked.

Millie checks and finds a gash on the side of Mr Luzoni's head. "Yeah, I think he took a blow to the head."

"Okay, stay on the line. An ambulance is on the way." The dispatcher told Millie.

All of a sudden, a pair of hands grabs Millie from behind and makes her drop the phone. Millie tried to scream but the figure behind her covered her mouth. She saw something odd on the attacker's hands - metallic skin.

It was Professor Dahl.

"Going somewhere?" He said as Millie's muffled screams are heard.

"Miss, are you still there? Miss?" The dispatcher's voice was heard saying as Dahl drags Millie away.

•••

Cast

Fredward 'Freddie Benson - Nathan Kress

Cassandra 'Cassie' Sinclair - Melissa Archer

Millicent 'Millie' Flores - Ashley Argota

Gabriel 'Gabe' Morgan - Landon Liboiron

Peter 'Pete' Sawyer - Charlie Hunnam

Jane Louis - Vanessa Morgan

'Maxwell' – Dylan O'Brien

'Moon' – Bex Taylor-Klaus

•••

Obviously there has been some changes to this episode and the rest of the episodes written thus far. I want to have good continuity as well as adding some fun little tidbits hopefully you guys who reread these episodes enjoy. I love my readers (I don't wanna say fans because that's narcissistic and I don't wanna come off like that). I just want you guys to love it as much as I love writing it.

I want your feedback, positive and negative. It helps me do better. Just have constructive criticism.

Thanks again and have an awesome day ;)