Author's Note: I'm back, peeps!

Thanks again for the favorites and follows, you guys are great!

And thank you to Brookeworm3 for the review, enjoy this new chapter.

Happy reading one and all!

Chapter 13

The next morning, the twins went to the bus stop. Layla was the first one there.

"Layla!" Will called. "Bella told me last night, I totally spaced. I'm sorry, I know you must want to kill me."

"Actually, just the opposite. I have something to tell you both," Layla replied.

"Yeah?" Will asked.

"What is it?" Bella asked.

"It's about homecoming, I'm going with Warren Peace to the dance." Layla said.

"No," said Bella. She sounded rather surprised.

"What?" Will asked in disbelief. "Warren Peace? You can't be serious. Layla, the guy's a psycho."

"And he hates me and my brother," Bella added.

"When did you even start hanging out?" Will asked.

"Last night 8:00, the Paper Lantern." Layla snapped.

The teens got on the bus without saying a word. Bella shared a sympathetic look with her brother before taking seats.

From then on, the Stronghold siblings were isolated from their friends. Will was busy with Gwen tutoring him and Bella was also busy helping Penny with the decorations for homecoming. Layla started to hang out with Warren (as well as Ethan, Zach, and Magenta), whenever she saw Will with Gwen, they'd act like a couple to make Will jealous. Often, Bella would be with Gwen and Penny and she'd see Layla and Warren together. She glanced at Warren and looked away, once Warren looked her way. Bella found herself thinking about Warren's face at some points.

One afternoon, Gwen came over to their house to help Will on an assignment from Science class. They worked in the twins' room, while Bella did homework in the living room. Steve and Josie were away on a distress call and they wouldn't be back until late in the evening. Gwen received a phone call from a distressed Penny, who told her she forgot to order a fog machine. Will took it upon himself to have Gwen invite the homecoming committee over.

Will went downstairs to notify his sister.

"You may want to be ready, the homecoming committee will be here." Will advised.

"OK," Bella replied.

What Bella and Will didn't know was that the homecoming meeting would turn into one big house party.

Many students from Hero class had arrived. Music was playing loud and the Stronghold house was already crowded.

"Brian, get down from there!" Bella called to the wall crawling kid.

"Larry, do you have to be in rock man form?" Will asked Larry who was sitting on the sofa (halfway up) with Penny.

"Power down, please?" Bella asked Larry.

"Hey guys, not the floor!" Will called to the two guys who dragged a tub of ice and drinks across the floor.

"This is crazy," Bella said, exasperated.

She and Will were frustrated with the fact that there was an unnecessary amount of people in their house.

"Gwen!" Will called. "You said this was supposed to be homecoming committee!"

"This is homecoming committee," Gwen insisted.

The twins gave her a look.

"Okay, okay so, a few extra people showed up." Gwen said. "Will, Bella you're both popular! That's what happens!"

"Gwen, every kid in Hero class is here." Will said, rather frustrated.

"How are we supposed to clean up before Mom and Dad return?" Bella demanded.

"Will, come with me." Gwen said, taking Will's hand.

"Take care of the crowd," Will said to his sister.

"I'll try," Bella said, sighing.

Gwen and Will walk away.

They go inside a room. Gwen shuts the door behind her and Will.

"OK. So, what's on your mind?" She asked.

"My friends," Will answers.

"What about them?" Gwen questioned. "They're all here,"

"Oh, you mean the sidekicks," She said; seeing the look on Will's face.

"You know, I think I'm just gonna call Zach and Layla, tell them to come over here because…" Will said, sitting down.

"Will, you're such a nice guy." Gwen commented.

"But, honestly do you think they'd have fun?"

"With this crowd? I mean, don't you think they'd feel a little awkward?" Gwen continued.

"No, I think they'd be okay." Will replied, disagreeing with Gwen's comments.

"Trust me," Gwen persuaded. "They'd be miserable."

Suddenly, Speed opens the door.

"Whoa!" He exclaimed.

"Hey!" Gwen scolded.

"Sorry!" Speed apologized. "Just looking for a bucket!"

He closed the door.

The brunette girl shook her head a bit.

"I wish there was somewhere we could go to be alone." Gwen said.

"Um…" Will began to say.

"Wow, this is incredible." Gwen remarked.

Will decided on taking Gwen down to the Secret Sanctum, where they can have some privacy.

The pair walked around, looking at Steve and Josie's memorabilia.

"Yep, when you spend your whole life kicking butt and taking names, I guess you make a lot of memories." Will added.

"Well, maybe we should make a few of our own." Gwen suggested.

She took Will by the hand and then gently stroked his cheek. Then, Gwen kisses him.

Unbeknownst to Will, Gwen secretly had Speed sneak into the Sanctum and steal the Pacifier.

Meanwhile, Bella had gotten tired with the crowd.

"This couldn't get any worse," She thought bitterly to herself.

Suddenly, Layla walked inside the house.

Bella sees her and quickly excused herself through the crowd.

"Layla, what are you doing here?" Bella asked.

"I'm looking for Will," Layla replied. "Have you seen him?"

"He disappeared with Gwen," said Bella. "Why don't we step outside and talk?"

"I don't think so," Penny cut in.

"Who invited a sidekick?"

"Yeah, what's she doing here?"

"Penny, stop it." Bella said, coming to Layla's defense.

"Let me handle this, Bella." Gwen said. "He's going to homecoming with me. He threw a party and didn't invite you. Neither did Bella,"

"Stop it, Gwen." Bella snapped.

"You're just embarrassing him," Gwen continued, ignoring Bella. "You're just embarrassing yourself."

"OK. I'd understand," Layla responded with a fake smile. "And um, when you see Will again, can you tell him that I never want to talk to him again?"

"I'll give him the message," Gwen replied with a fake smile.

"Layla," said Will.

Layla walks away. Bella could tell she was hurt by Gwen's stinging words.

Will followed Layla.

"What the hell, Gwen?" Bella demanded.

"Bella calm down," said Gwen.

"What did you say to Layla?" Will demanded.

"Nothing," Gwen lied. "I mean, I just told her the truth."

Bella rolled her eyes.

"You're a hero, she's a sidekick. She was holding you back,"

"That is not true, Gwen." Bella denied.

"Bella and I have been friends with Layla since we were little." Will argued.

"You two got new friends now, and I think both of you need to figure out whether you want to hang with us or with those losers." Gwen suggested.

"This is over, Gwen. I'm done being friends with you." Bella said.

"What?" Gwen asked.

"I'm on the same page with Bella," Will added. "I'm not going anywhere with you, not now or not to homecoming. Might as well just find yourself a new date, Gwen."

"You're dumping me?" Gwen asked in disbelief.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, let's get something straight okay?"

"You do not dump me! Not the night before the dance!" Gwen said angrily.

"And you don't stop being friends with me either!" She said to Bella.

"Sorry, Gwen. I uh, just did." Will said apologetically.

Gwen looked to Bella for help.

"Sorry honey, can't help you on that one." Bella said.

"Everyone out!" Will called.

"Party's over!" Bella yelled.

"Don't stop on our account," said a voice.

Everyone including the twins turned to see Josie and Steve (dressed in superhero gear) who did not look pleased.

Bella gulped nervously.

"Your father and I fly to Europe for two hours, and you two throw a party?" Josie demanded sharply.

"Unbelievable," Steve said with a hint of disappointment in his tone.

"When I reach the count of three, I want everyone out of this house!"

Immediately, everyone scattered out of the house like roaches.

"I'm only going to ask you both this…" Steve started to say.

"Dad I swear, I didn't plan this." Will denied.

"I didn't either. It was Gwen's idea," Bella added.

"All right," Steve said. "That's good enough for me,"

Josie stared at her husband in disbelief.

"Steve, I've got half a mind not to let them go to homecoming."

"That's fine," Will said. "I'm not going anyway,"

"Me neither," said Bella.

The twins started to go upstairs.

"Whoa," Steve said, stopping them. "Your mom said she had 'half a mind.' Will, Bella you must go to the homecoming dance. We all have to because we're introducing the world to the Stronghold Four, the greatest family of superheroes mankind has ever known."

The brother and sister just stared at their parents with frowns on their faces.

"Did something happen, you guys?" Josie asked with concern.

"I don't want to discuss it," said Bella.

"Me neither," said Will.

"Well, we're gonna talk about it because…we promised Gwen we'd go to the dance!" Steve insisted. "And when a Stronghold makes a promise, that promise is kept!"

"I promise you Dad, I'm not going." Will said, sticking to his word.

"Count me out," said Bella.

The siblings go upstairs to their room.

A/N: Phew, another long chapter! Before I get to the homecoming dance, I'm including the scene where Will goes to the Paper Lantern and bumps into Warren Peace into the next chapter.

More soon!