Disclaimer: I own absolutely nothing.

Thanks to all of my fantastic reviewers. (No pun intended) and on with the story.

Burn It All Up

Chapter 5;

Homecoming

'Bastard!' Johnny hissed, his eyes blazing with fury as Sevran struck him across the face. All feeling of self-pity had long since vanished in the youth, only to be replaced by anger, something the demon had not expected.

'Poor Johnny,' Desmond giggled, his red eyes twinkling with mirth, 'How does it feel to be left out of everything important? How does it feel to be left behind? How does it feel to be…powerless?'

'I dunno. Why don't you tell me, you perverted sadist!' Johnny snarled. How dare they bring his family into this. The minute he was able, he would hunt them down and make them pay. Sevran grinned and Johnny's blood instantly ran cold, though the loath-filled look remained fixed on his face.

In one fluid movement, Sevran had Johnny upright, his good arm clenched in Sevran's inhumanly strong grip. Roughly, he swung the boy, who slammed into the wall with a wet thump, partially from the blood covering him and partially from his limp and unresponsive body. Sevran swung him around the other way, sending him face first into another wall. There was a squelching noise that ended with a pop and Johnny screamed, crumpling to the ground as Sevran released his arm. Shaking, he let his probing fingers travel up to his shoulder, grazing the dislocated joint with a soft cry. This was one injury he had been trained to handle and he quickly braced himself.

Sevran and Desmond watched with interest as the boy braced himself against the wall, seeming to forget them entirely. Johnny's arm came up and gently gripped the dislocated appendage and he sucked in a deep breath. On the exhale, he pushed. The shoulder popped back into place and he screamed, dropping back to the ground and howling his agony.

Sevran was impressed. After all the boy had been through, he still had the grit to try and fight back, making sure his body and mind were as strong as they could possibly be for the upcoming fight. He would be disappointed, though. Sevran gestured to Desmond who grabbed Johnny's other arm and hauled him to his feet. This boy was proving himself to him.

Desmond led the way to Johnny's room, proving to the boy that the pair had at least a basic knowledge of the layout of the Baxter Building. He took the semi-conscious Johnny from Sevran and promptly tied his arms to the posts.

Johnny struggled and tried to push him off while Sevran smiled. Even with his fear of that cock-and-bull story, the boy was proving himself to be a worthy adversary.

The plane ride had been a hectic mess. First it had been delayed by about four hours, then it had been cancelled altogether. The trio had had to exchange their tickets for the ones they had originally. Sue lost her luggage and only after filing a report and being promised by the two accompanying men that it would be returned or they would replace it, had she allowed them to continue. It had taken forever to summon a taxi that could accommodate Ben's massive size and they were all just looking forward to their own beds.

The door of the Baxter building opened and the three mutants stepped through, swiftly closing the door behind them. Reed ran a hand through his hair, tired, but relieved to be home. He picked up his bags and made his way to his room, copied by Ben. Sue, however, set out to look for her brother.

'Johnny! We're home!' she called out, poking her head into the bathroom and then the den, stopping at the blood on the floor.

'Johnny! Where are you?' she called out, her tone slightly more panicked and her heart racing as a thousand scenarios raced through her head.

'Check his room, Sue! He could be sleeping!' Reed called from his lab as he set his equipment back in their original positions. Sue nodded, even though she knew he couldn't see her and headed to Johnny's room. She knocked once on the closed door and called Johnny's name. Not receiving an answer, she opened the door.

And screamed.

I think I was getting tired of Johnny being completely helpless, so here you go. So now; what are Desmond and Sevran?

Me