Chapter Three-Hundred and Thirty

Asher heaved a sigh as he watched John climb higher on the frame of the house, rubbing a hand over his beard with worry. "John!" He shouted, catching his nephew's attention. "Stop being a lizard!"

John laughed, sticking his tongue out before he scurried even higher.

Asher shook his head. "I swear. He is worse than Jake was at that age."

Clarissa smiled at his worry, gasping when John's foot slipped slightly. "He has a harness." She screamed as John stood up on a beam, watching him tip backwards into a backflip before the rope pulled taught and stopped him from hitting the ground. "Johnathan Kurtis Bender!" She marched toward him, only pausing for a second when he started climbing up the rope to where he was safe from her. "Get your ass down here!"

He shook his head, clutching to the rope with white knuckles. "No way! You're gonna ground me!" He pulled himself higher, completely missing the shocked expressions on everyone's faces as he let his true strength show.

Justin gaped at his brother, amazed that his skinny little body could move so quickly. "Holy Hell…" He smiled, watching John effortlessly pull himself back onto the beam.

Claire bumped his side, pride showing clearly in her eyes. "He's tougher than he looks."

"Where did he learn that?"

Claire's smile fell, remembering all of the skills that John had. "He didn't have a choice… he had to learn a lot just to survive." She remembered the times John had showed her how to turn something old and broken into almost anything. The time John had sewn Chad up on their sofa. When he'd delivered Johanna. Every little thing he'd done, and learned as he was doing it.

Jerry smirked as he watched the band play, letting the roar of the crowd fill his ears. He could see why John and the guys liked being on stage so much. They were daredevils, each one of them, and this was a thrill that was irreplaceable. His own heart was racing, and he was amazed at how steady their hands were on their instruments. "Damn!" He laughed as John's voice rose to a high note that seemed to last forever. "Where'd he get that?"

Asher's smile fell, his mind rushing back to when Jacob and Rueben had their little garage band. "He got it from his father…"

John gasped for breath before he started the next song. "We can be legends after all Hey woah We can be legends after all Hey woah Do you remember being young The world in our hands, your heart in a song Do you remember being young Nothing's ever what it seems Forget who you are, forget how to dream I think it's time that we believe We can be wild, we can be free We can be anything in life we want to be We can move mountains, we can break walls We can stand tall enough to fight and never fall We can be legends after all Hey woah We can be legends after all Hey woah We can be legends after all Do you remember growing up Standing all alone, your back to the sun Do you remember growing up Tell me how it's gonna be If we win or lose wear your heart on your sleeve I think it's time that we believe We can be wild, we can be free We can be anything in life we want to be We can move mountains, we can break walls We can stand tall enough to fight and never fall We can be legends after all Hey woah we can be legends after all Hey woah We can be legends after all We can be legends, we can be legends We can be legends after all We can be legends, we can be legends Stand up and shout it out if you want it Reach out and touch the sky 'cause you got it We'll be here forever Stand up and shout it out if you want it Reach out and touch the sky 'cause you got it We'll be here forever We can be wild, we can be free We can be anything in life we wanna be We can move mountains, we can break walls We can stand tall enough to fight and never fall We can be legends after all Hey woah We can be legends after all Hey woah We can be legends after all Stand up and shout it out if you want it Remember Reach out and touch the sky 'cause you got it We'll be here forever."

He cast a glance backstage, smiling just before the scent hit him. Used frying oil, liver and onions, cleaning supplies… the scent of Ben.