It seems like most of the readers here on FF also read the story on AO3 and tumblr, so you know what the deal is with chapter ix. However, if you read this exclusively here (which is perfectly fine - because this version will have an exclusive ending later on), just wanna let you guys know that this chapter is incomplete.

The completed draft came out a bit more violent than what I was expecting, so I'm cutting some scenes out. This excerpt will contain the necessary bits, though.

What's left out will be filled in on the later chapters :)

Thanks for understanding

tw: mentions of mental illness, some violence, peril


IX: Tout Se Passera Bien

The darkness speaks in various voices. Leo doesn't really understand what it's saying—or, really, what the people in it are saying—but he doesn't mind. The voices sound so happy. He thinks he can listen to them all day long.

It takes a couple of minutes before he hears one of the voices get closer. It's a woman, older. Her tone is warm and inviting, happy like the others.

The intonation tells him that she's asking a question, He doesn't think it's directed at him, but he's inclined to answer anyway.

When her voice gets closer, a part of him withdraws from the pictureless dream. He still remembers the dream about Mighty Med and Krane.

He doesn't like the feeling that someone faceless has come close to him again.

Don't take this personally.

His brows softly furrow. These voices…They're the same ones he heard when he was younger. He still hears them sometimes, but he doesn't tell his family. His mother gets worried and talks about seeing brain doctors, and he's sure his new family will make fun of him if he goes.

His stepfather already thinks it's ridiculous that he hears voices. Adam will call him crazy if he finds out about it, and Chase…

He doesn't know what Chase will say.

Bree might be the only one who would show understanding, he thinks.

Still, he doesn't want to be the crazy one. He doesn't want to be crazy and a burden for everyone.

It's not my favorite part either.

Suddenly, the voice isn't the woman's anymore. Now, it's a man's.

He stirs. The void isn't as dark anymore. It's taken on a confusing shape that becomes more definite by the second. He slowly turns on where he lies, looks around.

Then, he sees the tall and menacing silhouette towering over him, holding a dagger above.

Instinctively, Leo barrels to the opposite edge of the bed as the blade comes down. The steel hits the mattress and gets stuck, giving him time to get up and jump out through the foot of the bed.

He falls with a loud thud, but any pain from it is dulled by the tide of adrenaline that suddenly swallows him whole.

He spins on the floor and finds a man in a black leather jacket still struggling with the dagger.

The man looks at him and grins wolfishly. "Good instincts," he commends, the coldness of his voice sending ice through Leo's skin.

Leo scoots quickly back towards the door when the man lets go of the hilt. He hustles to increase their distance—but all efforts are stopped by the wall behind him.

"Shh…" the man hushes, bringing his index finger up to his lips. "We don't want to wake anyone, do we?"

Who are you? Leo wants to ask, but he finds that his mouth has run dry.

The man runs like a shadow toward him. Then, he squats down to meet Leo's eyes.

Leo freezes.

The man's eyes are the eyes of a snake.

"If you tell me where the energy transponder is," he hisses, grinning superciliously, "I'll take you for ice cream."

Leo leans away from him as he smells the venom from his breath.


His father stares at him, horrified – but only for a moment. Soon, the familiar dark and sinister look comes over his face. He gathers what little energy he can from his surroundings then uses the force built up to pull his arm lose.

The sludge breaks like dry cement.

Leo grabs his ankle after Joel quickly gets up to his feet. "Dad—" He winces as another wave of pain hits him. "Dad, where are you going? The – the heroes are here. We have to go."

For the longest, he only sees wrath and revenge in his father's eyes.

But then, his father's gaze softens.

He kneels down, quickly runs a hand through his hair, and then kisses him on the forehead. "I love you," he says, smiling. "Everything will be okay." He pulls his son's hand off his ankle and then vanishes through the obliterated walkway.

"Dad – agh!" Leo curls as his side throbs even more. Still, the thought that his father is walking into trouble cues his brain to numb the pain a little so he can get up.

Getting on all fours feels as if it's taking hours to accomplish. His breath is jagged, heavily dependent on what amount of breathing hurts less. Still, he continues to push himself until he's leaning on what's left of the wall.

It's quieter downstairs compared to earlier, but he still checks the hall for their unwelcome visitors. A glance tells him that the front of his grandparents' house is all gone and that the fight is now outside.

There's still trouble downstairs, but the white flashes of light tells him that his father isn't involved.

He quickly assesses the situation. Outside through the front is not safe. Downstairs towards the kitchen (he estimates from the clanking sounds) is not safe.

The stairwell is risky.

How am I going to get out?

The silver spotlight from the night outside calls to him. The only safe way out might be through the window ahead, but he can't know for sure if he doesn't check.

He takes a step towards it but stops.

The safety box. The heroes need to know who his father really is. If he can't help him through this ambush, he can at least plead for his case later on.

He cases the hall to the stairwell again and finds no movement. If he's quick, he can get the safety box in three minutes while everyone is distracted.

He knows it's stupid and risky and could very well lead him to his death, but he does it anyway. He runs through the hall, thankful that Slither wasn't waiting in the darkness of his father's old room or that Sonic Shriek isn't in the house anymore.

He gets inside the nursery-turned-library then shuts the door behind him. He releases a breath he didn't know he was holding.

Then, he pulls the curtains down for some light and rushes over to the small rotating bookshelf.

Adrenaline takes over. He pushes it out of the way, causing the stuffed bunny to fall over to the side. He grabs the floorboard and fails a few times but eventually succeeds.

He rips the insulation off unceremoniously. Seeing the box, he pulls it out of its hiding place and takes it into his arm.

His breath catches when he hears slow, searching footfalls outside.

The realization that it's getting closer paralyzes him for a few seconds. Then, instinct gained from the missions with his step-siblings kicks him into action.

His eyes immediately turns to the bigger bookshelf. Against the more seasoned criminals of the gifted world, he can't defend himself that much. However, the element of surprise gives him a better chance.

So, he hides in the niche created by the side of the sizable furniture and the wall.

The person stops outside right outside the door.

Then, after a few, agonizing moments, the person twists the doorknob open.

Leo holds his breath, the safety box pulled up against him like a bat.

The person walks in. Thump...Thump...his trails warn.

Leo's heart races, causing his vision to narrow.

His shadow tells Leo a few things. Taller than the man in the suit. Bulkier than Slither.

It's either Sonic Shriek or the man who set up the fireworks in his grandparents' basement.

The person stops—right by the bookshelf.

One swing, that's all he has.

Leo wishes he can vanish into nothing.

So, putting whatever strength he has left on his arms, he takes a step and swings the safety against the shadow.

The person catches him by the arm, its movement faster.

"Let me go!" Leo growls as he struggles against vice-like grip.

There's a pause. Then: "Leo?"

The familiar voice stops him. His vision clears little by little until soon, he recognizes the familiar face.

Tecton lets him go. He frowns. "I...I don't understand. Why are you here?" he asks. "The watchdog tip is for an ambush."

Leo sighs a breath of relief. Tecton. It's just Tecton. "They're all here for the transponder," he answers, his heart still hammering wildly in his chest. "Apparently there's a notice out that the villains can find it here."

"But…" An uncertain and unreadable expression furrows Tecton's face deeper. He shakes it off. "We'll talk about it later. Right now, we have to get you to Mighty Med."

"Where's my dad?" Leo asks as the superhero leads him out the door.

Tecton freezes.

Leo realizes that he slipped. His mind tries to rationalize for a moment that it might not be too bad; maybe Tecton would think that he's just looking for his stepfather.

But then, he turns around. a sympathetic look in his eyes. "He left. He got Ambusher and Slither off Blue Tornado, and then he left," Tecton says. Seeing the fear in the teenager's eyes, he kindly albeit urgently says, "I'll explain everything later. Right now, just come back with us to Mighty Med."

They know. They know? Paralyzed by that thought and moved by the sense of mortal danger hanging about the house, Leo follows the superhero robotically. He does what he's told, keeps his eyes peeled as they make their way out.

He settles in the compact aircraft obediently when he's told to do so.

They know, he keeps telling himself. They know.

He doesn't know why, but he feels like his life has changed tonight.