A/N: There has been some confusion as to why Sharkboy wouldn't know that Tucker's dad and Danny's stepdad is his father and this is why: Sharkboy hasn't yet seen Tucker's dad. They haven't met yet. Tucker's dad is in America. I hope that answered any other questions.

Chapter Six

"Sharkboy, Lavagirl, everyone, come see this!"

Danny had been watching television when suddenly he shouted for everyone to come look. It was a new coverage that was showing a picture of a beach with lumps stretched out all over the sand. As the camera zoomed in, Sharkboy inhaled sharply. The lumps were dead sharks!

"These ten sharks were found floating dead just off the south coast of North Island early this morning," the pretty newsreporter was saying. "The cause of death is still unknown but we should all ray that this is not an epidemic. Stan, over to you."

Danny switched off the TV. Sharkboy looked stunned. Lavagirl gently held him to a chair. He sat down and dropped his head into his hands.

"I saw him," he whispered. "I saw my shark father. He's dead." Sharkboy began to cry softly.

Lavagirl stroked his hair carefully and gently while placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. Marissa started to cry also, and Max gently patted her back. Linus put his hand on Max's shoulder and hung his head.

"What's going on?" Tucker asked. "Why is everyone upset? It was just sharks."

Lavagirl could feel Sharkboy's strong muscles tense under her fingers. She let them get hot for a second as a warning. Sharkboy jerked away and stood, his eyes blazing.

"Just sharks? Just sharks! Those sharks were my family! My family!"

Lavagirl could see he was working himself into a shark frenzy. Tucker's eyes went wide with fright as Sharkboy advanced. Lavagirl rushed over to put herself between Sharkboy and Tucker. Max grabbed the wheelchair and Linus, Marissa, and Danny ran out the door. They crouched by the window and watched, aghast, as Sharkboy roughly shoved Lavagirl to the side. She fell to the ground. Sharkboy leaped up onto the TV and started bashing it with his fists until a ball of lava knocked him to the floor.

He quickly got up and shot water at his attacker. Lavagirl's hair went out but quickly sizzled back to life as she got angrier. A full-fledged battle raged. Lavagirl used her lava as her weapon while Sharkboy used his water. The house was taking a brutal beating. Burnt holes and water were everywhere. Finally, Sharkboy tore off the kitchen faucet and shot the cold water at his best friend.

Lavagirl visibly wilted. The kids held their breaths as they watched her light go out. For a second she teetered on her feet, then, with a dull thud, she fell to the floor. Sharkboy froze. The kids rushed back into the house and Max shut off the water quickly. He then knelt next to Lavagirl, checking her pulse. Nothing. Everyone looked at Sharkboy. He looked stricken.

"I-I killed her." His voice was hoarse and filled with horror. "I killed my best friend."

Suddenly he bolted out of the house. The kids shivered as his screams of anguish carried from the beach. Marissa started crying once more. Max put his arm around her. Linus and Danny covered Lavagirl's still form with a sheet. Tucker looked stunned.

"It's all my fault," he whispered to himself over and over. "It's all my fault."

000000

I killed her.

I killed her.

Murderer.

I didn't.

You did.

No! No! No!

Sharkboy's feet lifted and fell silently as he ran faster and faster than he had ever run in his life.

You hated her.

I loved her.

She always made you angry.

I shouldn't be so short tempered.

Murderer.

No.

Murderer!

No!

MURDERER!

"NO!"

Sharkboy tripped and fell flat on his face. He lay in the grass, his body wracking with sobs. For a long time he lay there, weeping. Finally the tears subsided and his fell into a restless sleep.